Frozen Rose
by Erkthmaine Alexandria
Summary: There are geographically seven seas, 180, 497 islands, two hundred and twenty countries, bazillions of galaxies, eight planets in a solar system, and I have to meet that annoying guy again. Must've been my iPod.
1. Meet

**The story title was actually named after a TV channel, heh heh. **

**Enjoy. Hope ya get to like it, and toooooooodles. **

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My horse neighed as it trampled on the buttress roots, I shielded my hand automatically at the response of the bright sunlight breaking into the sunny sky. The hunters beside me chattered continuously about some topic I barely knew, but this time, I didn't have the gentle aid of my father beside me. I held my bow in front of me, the sleek, metal designs engraving the deadly weapon, etched with gleaming diamonds. This was my favorite-and only present my dad gave.

I ran my fingers through my smooth, chocolate brown hair, my crystalline blue eyes closing, the memories of me opening the dear present from my dad, right before his soul faded to oblivion right in front of my teary eyes.

He was a strong man, a legend, a golden idol shining in front of every warrior's heart. He was a god among the legendary hunters. He was made into a perfect king, all his subjects loved him dearly, as me, a princess of the kingdom, was following his steps slowly, blending into the world of killing, despite the crows from my mother.

Alas, one day, he was bitten by a creature, and disease failed his body.

"My princess... this is the first- and last gift you'll receive from me..." The feeble father handed me a wooden box, decorated with a simple red ribbon, which my eyes took it with curiosity. My mother's hand was on my shoulders, tears dripping from them, one by one. I opened it slowly, revealing a shining bow that dazzled my very eyes. "Take my hunter blood inside you," He murmured. "Be a queen for me, and my subjects."

With the very words escaping his mouth, a scream and a moment of despair fell as the king closed his eyes, and it never opened again. I snapped my eyes open, trying to banish the dark moments away, and focused on our target.

"Well, why not let's place a bet here, on our highness?" I turned to see someone with a thick beard and sunken eyes chuckling at me, his bow strapped back at his horse. I tensed, as the hunters around me nodded and laughed, some shouting in agreement."Very well." I steadied my stallion, and it reared a little to the left, but I took it as nothing. "May I know what would be the challenge?"

"Try to capture a deer, lass." He snickered, joined by the other hunters, and I looked away in rage. I couldn't cool down under the statements or implications for underestimating the king's daughter, or other females. My mother would not let this language get out of my mouth, so I resisted myself. "Very well, gentlemen. A deer you desire, a deer you shall have. Please restrain your patience, hunters, while I'll get your prize."

With that, I turned my horse, and dove back into the depths of the forest, forcing the speed of the stallion ran along the dirt as fast as possible. It was in late spring, so spotting a deer is not a unusual catch. As soon as the crowd's dirty voices had faded from my ears, I lingered at the lines of nature, and my horse's gallop slowed into a trotting pace. I smiled, feeling the sensation of being inside the nature like a deep sigh.

I tried to seek for a stag, lying on a sea of grass, nibbling on its gift from the nature. To say the truth, I never wanted to kill a creature. They were so beautiful, like faeries, which doesn't exist, my mother said. The way they walk, the way they hunt, the way they beautify the way of the Mother Nature. My armor clattering rang in my ears as the quietness grew, and finally, I heard a rustle that broke my enchantment. I turned my head, my soul jumping to a alert state as the rustle grew.

There was a wail- a painful, agonic wail that sent a needle through my heart. I hurried my stallion to the site, and trotted as quietly pas possible to the source of the noise. For a instance, I was fearing that it would be a beast, a lion, to be scared of.

Fear trickled in, but I pushed it back with great determination and the help of bravery. I readied my bow, and inched forward, the dread filling in every eerie silence, until I shoved a leaf blinding my sight revealing a powerful stag, wailing and thundering its muscular legs on the leafy ground. I gasped where its signature horns had gone, and spotted a boy squatting in hazel brown hair, brown eyes and a lively smile of victory plastered on his face as he ran through the horns in his hands like silk.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat, quietly gaining his acknowledgement. He looked up, his eyes shining with mischief. "Why, hello, young pretty, what are you doing here with a..." He stared at my weapon with bemusement. "... bow? Ladies hunting? Please."

Another one. I gripped my bow fiercely, and his eyes widened as I sighed in exasperation. "For first, you have no right to steal one that is rightful from Mother Nature, and Mother Nature herself. Second, do not estimate the power of women. Who are you?" I narrowed my eyes at the boy, who chuckled at me.

"Jack Overland, the charmer of the village." He smirked, earning my quizzical look. Nature destroyers doesn't look so handsome to me. "What are you doing in this dangerous forest yourself, pretty girl?" He bowed gentlemanly, and I frowned. It is true that they called me the beauty of the kingdom, every prince was crashing each other like foolish oxes to get my hand, even though they knew it was worthless. For me myself, I don't get my own looks. I glared at him earnestly. "For your information, I am hunting."

"You're kidding me."

"As kidding as you're a charmer. You don't look half as handsome."

"Oh really, woman?" He chuckled at me, but his eyes were slightly burning with rage.

Another neigh broke the conversation, and I looked down at my white stallion with anxiety. The stag wailed too, and fled into the depths of the woods. Jack looked around, his eyebrows furrowing. "What's up with that coward-" He was stopped by a growl, then accompanied by a few more. My horse neighed again, leaping up and down in protests. Fear poured down again as a furry beast in black coat leaped into sight in front of me and Jack, growling and barring a array of dagger like teeth.

"Wolves!" I yelled, holding up my bow, an arrow ready at my grip. Jack yelled, diving into cover, and dove in front of me. A few more came to sight too, their beady yellow eyes locked on me. I stiffened, and shot a arrow at one of them. It struck his eye, causing it to roar with agony, and the pack of wolves growled, advancing on us for the sake of one of their fallen brother.

I went to grab more arrows, dread rose as I realized my quiver was empty as I touched the bag. One of the hunters must've stolen them all. Anger growled, but faded quickly as I realized there was no route of escape.

Jack wouldn't stand a chance against the.m. I had to think of a idea...

I reared my horse up, and zoomed into a sharp turn, speeding up so fast my sight was no longer clear.

I galloped into the woods, deeper and deeper until no trace of familiarity was hinted around me. I looked back, and all the wolves were on persuit, their teeth still poking out of their jaws. The pack was closing on me, faster and faster, as my control on my fear growing uncontrollably weaker, until I saw a cliff breaking the steady ground. If I succeed in leaping through the cliff, I might be able to get rid of the beasts, and get myself to safety. But if not...

Courage slammed down the my cowardly self, as I focused on my target.

_You can do it, Veronica._

"I hope you're ready, Baikon." I whispered softly to my steed, and continued our escape to freedom.

Faster...

Faster...

Finally, I giddied up Baikon, and came to the ledge of the cliff.

I leaped... and felt the wind coursing through my skin like a hand, and glimpsed at the back, watching as the beasts fell into the abyss, to their death. Sympathy and guilt filled me as I watched, then I looked back. Relief plunged into my soul like a pair of ferocious wings sweeping at me, and Baikon's hooves dove into the dirt. I dismounted from him immediately, and laid on the ground, heaving for breath, letting my messy soul settle into a clear state.

I didn't notice the vines creeping up my leg.

When I felt a prickly sensation hit my shin, I sat up in pain and almost shrieked at the sight of mass vines entangling my feet like a solid tornado. I stared in horror as the vines of a human eating tree wrapped around Baikon's leg too, causing him to neigh, and trample to the ground helplessly, a heavy weight slamming onto the soil. Then I felt myself being pulled- slowly, but not in a constant speed.

I grasped my bow, the upper part dragging on the soil. The lower edge was curved into a deadly blade, but it wasn't sharp enough to cut two bunches of vines, leaving the meat of the wolf. THat's pretty much why I didn't prefer to use the blade just now. A painful dilemma hit me as I was given a very limited time to chose among two lives- me, and Baikon.

Then I made my decision.

I stretched my hand, Baikon was just beside me. I charged the blade on the grasping vines, and started to saw. My instincts screamed at me, knowing that I would die any moment, but I shoved all of it away. As soon as the last of the vines snapped open, Baikon immediately stood up and flew into the woods, into the wilderness.

This time, I could feel the vines pulling over my face, covering my nose, then my eyes. It was like a thousand needles being secured around you, a strike of pure agony. Before I could get overwhelmed, I whispered the last words;

"Be Free."

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I am Veronica Alexander.

I thought I was dead.

Forever.

Then I opened my eyes again.

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**And... *snores* Review, follow, favorite, please? XD THANK YOU! **


	2. Awakening

_Cold..._

My soul floated back to position, as if a key was finally held to the lock, and my eyes opened, like rusty doors trying to open after a preserve for so long, the glowing of the moon bathing on me. Then my breathing broke into a panic pace, rising up and down under my armor, the last moments of the last few minutes flashing in front of my eyes. Confusion broke my concentration on the moon, and I tried to take in a deep breath. I thought I was dead, under the human eating vines. But now... I looked down at my flexing fingers, which pulsed with liveliness.

I stood up, but my body was like it froze for ages, and I finally had the guts to break it. When I was done flexing and the painful bone cracking, I looked around me.

The trees grown so much thicker, though they were covered with a thick cover of snow, and the abyss me and Baikon leaped through was already filled with soil, also layered with a thick cover of frost. The tree over me, which was once barely a young tree, was now replaced by a massive oak tree, towering a few meters over me. Then my eyes swept to the ground, meeting a relieving sight of my silver bow, glinting softly under the moonlight, slightly buried under a thin cover of snow.

I felt a tingling sensation landing on my hair, and I swept a snowflake off my hair. Strange, we were just celebrating mid spring-

Wait...

I grabbed a tuft of my hair and let it in the moonlight, sheer shock and horror coloring my emotions like a bucket of punch spilled on it as I saw my dear, chocolate brown hair, now colored in golden blonde, gleaming like silk in the moon light. The first thought that came to me after I recovered from shock:

_Mirror. I need a mirror._

I strapped my bow onto my back expertly as I trampled into the woods, my eyes scanning around the depths of the woods for a frozen lake, or something reflective. Eerie shrieks and howls pierced the deadly silence, but I kept my pace, trying my best to push every inch of fear to the back of my mind. If possible... I have to get out of this forest. Maybe then, I can ask where my place is, and get a ride.

My feet flew over the snow, and I can feel the freezing melted water jingling in my feet, my mind screaming to stop and pour the water out. Finally, fate must've wanted to put a brief stop for me, because my toe kicked into a rack hidden among the snow, causing me to fling onto the cushiony snow.

Grumbling in annoyance, I sat up and brushed myself off the frostiness, mended my hair a little, then I plucked off my hand armor. It was just plain annoyance, so taking it off was the best option if I wanted to have a journey without stinging bites from the rusty armor. So many questions and hopelessness made frustration builded up inside me, and I impulsively crashed my first onto a nearby tree, pain shooting into my muscles and sending a wild wave among the creature of nature, causing a few withered leaves to fall.

I took a deep breath, hoping to let calmness course through, and nursed my injured knuckles a little. Mother had hired a specialist from China to teach me for self defense, or they call it Kung Fu. I had a really good interest in it, and soon I was acing and begging for extra lessons from my teacher, Shifu Yap. That's why I always hit things or cause them to shatter when I get enraged instead of burying myself into a pillow and cry all day, like a friend called Lily always do.

After cursing myself, I looked at where I just smashed my fist on, and frowned.

There was the expected hole opening on my target, but there was more. The frost covering it had faded, revealing a healthy oak tree with moss starting to creep up the hole like cobwebs, white, pink and lavender flowers started to sprout from the very trunk, decorating it naturally I couldn't help but admire the beauty for a moment.

It couldn't be, I just touched it and it melted into... this. Just like that.

Then I looked back.

My eyes met a trail of green, wild grass breaking starting to overwhelm the winter ground, accompanied by tulips, roses, and dandelions, so healthy and lush it made my uncontrollable fear about the unknown nature fade. It was like a wave- the grass engulfing the frost, replacing them with either moss, more grass, or flowers. For once, I just stood there, mesmerized by the transformation among seasons lasting for only seconds.

_I did it. I actually did it. _

Thrill rose in me, like a fire hovering over my heart, and I went to touch more trees-only to see in awe as the formed into newly sprung beings of nature, the iced cover on the trees melted into dew, some dripping on my head, causing me to giggle in amusement.

My moment of fun was broken as soon as another howl entered my ear drums, making my heart plummet again. Then I heard a growl, and it was enough to wake me from my paralyzed state and kicked my legs once again, speeding into the woods. Another weight of fear entered my mask of courage as I heard silent footsteps behind me, and I tried my best to speed myself.

I tried to outrun whatever beast was chasing on me, until I felt lead juicing down my legs, and my body starting to drain itself, yet my soul, my hopes were still at hard work. I leaped over a sharp rock, onto a tree branch, back onto ground, then slid over a icy lake, missing my chance to look at myself, yet time was scarce. Alas, I couldn't resist the pain of weariness anymore. Sleepiness hit my soul as soon as I came to a dreamy halt, and my soul was plunged into darkness.

The last I saw was a faint shadow looming over me, and I closed my eyes.

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I heard some faint voices of discussions.

Consciousness tugged my soul, thrashing it into a reality state, but my eyes were reluctant to open. All I wanted was to catch the words, but they were too faint, I gave up after ten minutes of the attempt and snapped my eyes open.

"Look, she's awake!" A odd accent came, and I blinked, sitting up while looking around. Around me was a splash of apple green- and white windows on the walls, letting the sunlight seep into the room. The room itself was strangely formed-like a corner over there and another at the right. A white wardrobe sat at one of the corners, not near the bed I was lying on, then a desk and a strangely designed black chair with pads lining along it. Then there were so many other things in the room I barely knew, it made my head spin.

Right beside me was two adults, one a man with a thin cover of beard covering his lower half of his face and a smile, a crop of copper brown hair on his head, twinkling blue eyes covered by two rectangular glass with a unknown shiny black material framing it, connected by a short black line. One of his bold hands was a woman, having ruffly auburn hair tumbling onto her shoulders, a gentle, warm welcoming smile painted red on the lips, a slender figure dressed in a deep green shirt that had sleeves reaching her elbow, and a pair of brown eyes.

"Wh-where am I?" I stuttered.

"We found you unconscious, lying on the grass with all those metal armor covering you. So we brought you back." The man explained, giving me a assuring smile at the same moment.

"And changed you out of the rusty armor. You look much more better now." The women added, her smile broadening into a grin.

That explained why I wasn't that stingy anymore. I was no longer wearing my armor, but a woolen shirt with a odd fashion of simple sleeves covering covering only my shoulders, a pair of strangely comfortable pants when I tore open the quilt blanket covering me. "Thank you, I muttered, but my eyes were searching for the bow. Where was it?

My eyes returned to the couple, and they were exchanging doubtful glances, and a small silent discussion was raging between the two. Finally the two adult's eyes lingered on me and they returned to their usual smile.

"I'll bring your bow back later." The women enquired, and I smiled in gratitude. "Do you have a home?" The man asked, almost hopefully.

I nodded. "My name is Veronica Alexander, Daughter of King Eanther Das Alexander and Queen Keilia Faylon, the Royal Family of Greenlands. It would be a great act of gratefulness if you can send me back."

"King...Queen?" The man cocked a eyebrow, realizing I wasn't bluffing. The women frowned at the man's expression, and the man cleared his throat. "Are you sure your father is King Eanther Das Alexander?"

"Yes." I nodded confidently. "He was the one who gave me the bow."

"He died three centuries ago."

Shock bellowed at my soul thrashing it back and forth as I stared at the man. I wanted to say he did die, but _three hundred years ago?! _That's purely insane! He died ten years ago, not that long!

"T-this is a jest?"

The man shook his head. "No. There is plenty of proof, unfortunately."

He left the room for a moment, and I settled on the bed post, thinking about my father's bones being dissolved into fossils. Impossible. Then if father passed away three centuries ago, that means my mother-?

Dread trickled down my heart as I repeated to myself that that wouldn't happen.

The man came back again, this time holding something flat and black, like a rectangular plate with a white screen glowing, and my curiosity grew as the man tapped the glowing square with a bold finger, and a lot of alphabets and pictures zoomed in the square, then slowly, the a finger brushed up the square, revealing a familiar paint of my dad, a few blue rectangle and writing below it.

"How did you get my father's paint?" I trembled.

The man shrugged. "It's a very long story. But yes, here is the proof that your father died a few centuries ago. But wait..." He then flipped the plate to his side, cutting off my concentration, and did a little finger exercise on it. I scrunched my eyebrows as the man's eyebrows furrowed, and he showed the plate to the women, who looked at me with shock, her mouth gaping open, and then back at the glowing plate, before looking back at me with disbelief.

"Impossible... it's already three centuries..." I heard her whisper, then she turned to me. "Maybe it's someone like her... Do you have a birthmark?"

I nodded, and turned to the back and held my hair up, pointing at the streak of dark tan decorating my back, before I heard gasps. "It's her! But how?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. But I can't believe my parent are long dead now..." I looked up, sniffing up my teary eyes. "How much has changed?"

The man shook his head slightly. "I'm afraid too much."

* * *

They made me sit on a plush leather seat, which almost looked nothing like one but was really comfortable in another room with a big rectangular square on the wooden patch on the white wall, a low table in front of me with a rose in a glass vase. Then they left, without saying anything other than telling me to wait on the seat until they came out.

So I did, mustering all my will to soothe the itchiness tingling around my fingers to touch anything in the room, just sit there, and stare at nothing. Time ticked, and soon, I heard a creak that immediately let a relieved sigh slip through my lips as the couple came out, arm linking arm.

"Are you homeless now?" The woman quietly asked, filled with hope, or so I thought.

I looked down, hard to accept the fact, but I solemnly nodded.

"You can live here, if you want to."

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**Yeah, you still don't see any roughness here, but you'll get it soon enough... Good morning/noon/night. Reviewers are awesome, you know. **


	3. Changes

_Five years later_

"Da, I'm going out for a moment." I huffed as I pulled my parka closer together, getting a small peck from my foster father in the way. "Have fun, sweetie." He said, before waving me goodbye with a roll of newspaper in his hands, smiling his usual wrinkly smile at me.

I spared a last glance at him as I walked away from the house, my eyes still gleaming with gratitude. It was my third year of being in the urban era, and my fifth year of being a human that can sprout flowers on anything I touch... I think.

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**Just a spoiler and a reminder: SHE IS NOT MOTHER NATURE. Okay peace out. *salutes and moonwalks back***

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The man I first met wanted to adopt me, and so did the woman, which I called her Momma. They didn't care about my weirdness- they never had a child. I told them about my life before I met them, and they promised to take my background as a secret. I asked why, Da just shook his head and said I'll be in trouble. As I exited a healing place after six months of rust healing, they introduced me to all the gadgets they used now.

Instead of pigeons they used some thin plates with big glowing squares(which was then learned to be called screens) they call phones faster and more convenient transportation they call cars with a sleek, metallic body and four black wheels, Televisions that updates you with the latest news with a tap on the remote, and so much more it took me a year to get used to all of it. Da and even homeschooled me (Thank god he was a professor in a adult's school, called university) until I was at a grade that I can go high school, a place where half children half adult they call teens learn and meet some friends without being eyed weirdly.

Da says I advance quickly, which took me only two years to get to my level. Partly I was so fascinated how quickly they learn things, and so many creations were made because of science, a basic term for logic. But later I discovered reading was my true potential.

After a year of being caged at home, Da and Momma decided to take me out into the new developed world which was once a plain forest or a rock building. We lived in the middle of the forest. The only thing I could do was to gape at my surroundings in awe, the whizzing cars and the newly designed roads, smooth and filled with different cars. Tall buildings loomed over me proudly, decorated with much more screens with moving pictures, Da pointed at everything around me, giving me the names that I immediately took in.

It was hard for me to say this but, this was so much more comfortable than the ones I lived in three hundred years ago. The change was so- shocking.

Later, one of my friends Diana from high school introduced me to martial arts, and in to time I was begging Da to let me enroll in the ninjutsu class, and I loved the topic immediately. They call it martial arts, and we learn how to do unarmed combat other than using punches and kicks I learn in Kung Fu. I was so interested at it I practiced it every day, and aced like the speed of light, until I was in my black belt at the end of the second year.

It took me a while to adjust to the modern environment of towering skyscrapers and whizzing cars. Things were so different compared the medieval times, as they call it. It was terrifying, yet it was awesome in another face.

But then, I felt homesick. It took me a aching four months to get over the fact that my mom died three hundred years ago. But the most mysterious part was that I get to be alive once again, and with ... nature powers, whatever they call it.

It took me a few months to master it and hide it from my Da or Momma, and their suspicion decreased fortunately of moss creeping onto Momma's favorite vase after I borrowed it and roses blooming on the windshield when I volunteered to wash Da's baby the Benz car. But when winter comes to a end, I always let my powers explode, coloring the winter wonderland into a blossom heaven. Somehow I think it as a responsibility, not a fun thing. The good thing is, I don't need to go everywhere, just trace a finger on the melting snow, and it just... spreads.

Then I learned something cool about my bow over the days, and I was lucky Da or Momma was long out to work. I found out there was nothing I could use as a arrow, so once in the kitchen, I was playing around my bow, I tried to get into a shooting position, then a vine filled with thorns slithered around my bow, onto my finger as it traced shock on my skin, and formed into a golden arrow, glistening under the light bulb.

It was as real as ever, as sharp like a wolf's teeth. I admired it for a moment, and hide it into the pillow, before I made another discovery that the limit of producing arrows were unlimited, but I can only make once for every attack.

Now I could restrain myself from melting snow, I focused on reality and continued my walk, fishing out my phone and scrolling down for my friend Paula's contact details.

"Hey Pau?" I greeted her causally, holding my cellphone over my ear.

"Sup, Vi!" That was her nickname for me, in return of my nickname for her. I smiled at the lively voice of my best friend. "Wanna go out for a snow ball fight? One on one." I taunted, and I heard a hysterical giggle on the line. "Sure, don't melt anything."

"I won't, I promise." I smiled, and hung up. Her home was a few kilo meters away from Burgess, so it would be cool if I just find a place to rest until she ambush me. I skittered up a tree like a bug, and made myself as comfortable as possible, staring at the sky for a while, taking my earphones and plugged it into my ears, before rummaging around my iPhone for _This Kiss _by Carly Rae Jepsen.

So far, it was my favorite songs in the playlist, and it playfully reminded me of the annoying boys back at my palace begging for my hand. Then again, I compared it with today, and it was no better. In this life, I had golden, blonde hair instead of copper brown, and my eyes glittered the lush color of the grass. My face remained the same, and it attracted a LOT of boys from even in my school, CliffLock High, especially in the locker halls.

One of the annoying ones was Steffen Holler, the Golden Boy. He stops at _nothing _to get me as his girlfriend. I got a nasty surprise of velvet cupcakes, which I'm allergic to, then a surprise love party at the cafeteria, and three more tries by pulling me onto the locker room.

I gave him a cage of vines for him to think in as a token of gratitude.

I almost got suspected, but luckily my friends were there to back me up with 'logic's.

I sighed, brushing my fingers on the trunk, glancing at it as the dark green moss started to creep around the frosty trunk, white buds blossoming into pretty white roses, lining gently along the thin cover. I shuffled on my resting place, and closed my eyes- just in time to welcome a freezing sensation splashing on my face.

"GOTCHA!" I heard Paula's giggle down on the snow ground, and I playfully glared at her, before hiding back to shield myself from another rain of attacks. "No fair, I haven't started the game!" I shouted back, and grabbed some snow from the tree, and threw it back, before backing again.

I never thought to hit a ice block, before I turned back, and my eyes met a ice blue ones.

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**Thanks for reading this, and I really appreciate reviews! Review, Favorite, Follow, please! XD You're awesome!**

**P.S. I was always thinking, before Jack Frost became Jack Frost, where did the snow came from? o.o**


	4. YOU!

**I had a bunch of giggles while writing this chapter. Lol, six hundred over views? Thanks guys! **

**Oh yeah, to snowdrop03, you can find half of the answer to your question here. (Sorry ;P)**

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I stepped back, gasping for a moment, and looked back at the owner of the blue eyes. A moment of familiarity struck me like a bowling ball, and the pins tumbled into my heart, which was crashing in thunderous waves of confusion. He had a crop of slightly spiky white hair sitting on his head, the ice blue eyes, a pair of navy blue jumper covered with a thin layer of frost, a pair of torn leather pants, and bare foots.

In his hand was a long staff, like a thousand thin woods twisted inside it with a crescent symbol curving its tip. At first he stared at me casually, then suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed i recognition, and his mouth gaped open.

"YOU!" We yelled at each other in unison.

Yes, it was him, Jack Overland, the last human I met before I got vine up. He raised his curved staff and pointed at me. "How did you- I mean- wha-" My mind was spinning, my index finger still lingering at Jack, who was staring at me in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" I growled, closing myself on a branch. Jack poked his staff forward and shrugged, smirking his usual smirk.

"Living a happy life, until you showed up again, duh."

"How old are you, right after your rise from death, hmm?"

I thought of that question for a while. He looked shocked not because I just lived, but it was me who got a second chance of the precious life. So I did die. Once. I gave a open palm. "Five."

I glared as Jack sniffled a laughter, and then suddenly froze. "But- you died- three hundred years ago-" He stuttered

"How do I know? Now, what are _you _doing here?" I scowled, as soon as Jack recovered from his foolishly funny face.

"I'm Jack Frost now. I'm asking the questions here."

Then he tried to hook my parka collar with his staff, but I immediately ducked and shoved a fist as his stomach automatically, causing him to stagger backwards. My mind flipped back to about three years ago, when I was a skeptical girl, my Da told me all about the mythical characters. Jack Overland to Jack Frost, the spirit of winter... him?! No way... I thought as I blocked the blow from Jack with my elbow in automatic response.

The white haired boy staggered back, confused, then he realized I still remembered the conversation between me and him.

"You know, I still remember the insult. You're the spring spirit, right? Can see your flowers vandalizing my creation." Jack dodged a kick break from me, and shot a icicle, which I grabbed with with high speed and melted it in my grasp. "No, I only control the season spring, not float around and sprout daisies as a spirit. I have parents for god's sake. Plus, you started the fight." I huffed.

Our mini fight was interrupted by Paula's snowball attack again, and Jack grinned at me. "Catch you later." Then I watched as the boy leaped off the tree, and _flew _into the dull grey covers of the sky.

"How did he- urgh!" I stomped out of the tree, landing on the soft cover of snow with a faint thud, meeting Paula with a snowball in her mittened hand, a smile plastered on the face. "Sup, Vi. Someone's having a bad day." She giggled, and threw another snowball at my face.

I took a deep breath, ceasing my thoughts like I was pressing them on fire, and opened my eyes. I must be dreaming there, yeah. Most probably the right answer to solve that damn question in my mind. "Nothing, really. Squirrels." I faked a complaining tone, and looked back at my best friend. "Resume?"

"Okay, wait... 3, 2, 1..." Paula giggled again, and tossed her fifth icy attack.

* * *

Jack's POV

I can't believe I met her again. Back three hundred years ago, I thought I was just stealing a pair antlers for my sister Bella. Then I met her, on a horse, carrying a deadly bow. I can tell me and her have a deadly point to argument. And then we got ambushed by wolves, she led them away from me, and... the next day, it was claimed that the princess is dead.

I was shocked that the girl I met was a important role in the royal family, not a weird girl in armor and bow. I suddenly, I felt guilt stabbing me for not saving her life. If I was ever caught, I might never see my dear Bella or my mom. I may not even get a second life. But back to the topic, she did became a spirit, and I have no idea how. But I didn't want to tell her that in front of her, either.

My mind lingered backwards as I flew with the wind current; I can't believe the man in the moon had let her dead for three hundred years and just get up now... why? Moreover, she didn't need to be believed in to have people looking at her. Odd...

I thought for a moment, my feet dancing slightly on the fir trees, painting a brush of frost on their spiky leaves in a single touch, my staff tracing on the brisk air like a net, entering the sky, which was turning into a wave of aqua blue and baby blue, ornamented with fluffy white clouds and a blinding sun letting the sunlight . I entered a chain of mountains splashing into sight, it's upper, sturdy body of rock layered with a visible coat of snow, then a sea of pine trees sliding down the feet of it like a sprawled pool of green unfurled from the top.

Framing the icy nature was a string of river, widening to the feet of a elephant, was one of the rivers that I never wanted to freeze. Life was so vibrant there- leaping and swimming with wonders of the underwater nature. I glided towards it, a smile tracing across my lips as I glimpsed at another koi fish bursting into the surface, before leaping back into the crystal clear water, swimming away.

Then a thought hit me like a light blow from a baseball bat; Maybe I should visit North.

* * *

"Veronica? That's the new spring spirit's mortal name, isn't it?" The man with pointy nose and a pair of rosy cheeks took his thick cloak off as he talked in his usual thick russian tone. I nodded, dodging another toy UFO slicing the air above me. "You mean, she isn't Veronica? Then what's her name?"

"Everlyn. Pretty name, eh?" North chuckled as he crunched on a biscuit the stubby elves served with one of their tongues poking a butter biscuit hungrily. I frowned. "But one thing I don't understand; why is she acknowledgeable to human when she's only five years as a spirit? Was she a guardian?"

"Oh, no no no, she is not a guardian, Jack. But she is extra ordinary, though it's not for me to explain." North unsheathed his butterfly swords with a attracting slash, scaring off the elves, which dove into the mountain of toys. I looked back at North, and crossed my arms. "She doesn't look like the spring spirit in my mind." I muttered under my breath, and I received a hearty laugh by North, who held his jelly belly with his bold arms.

"Oh, god, Jack, spring spirit is suppose to be gentle! What, you met her with a pair of boxing gloves?" North stared at me, which didn't help me find a answer.

"S-she punched me when I tried to say hi!" I protested finally, and the Santa Claus rose a white eyebrow. "You obviously done something, Jack. Up to mischief again?"

I bowed my head, letting a exasperated sigh escape my lips in the sign of surrender. "Alright, I think I did."

Then I spilled every moment I was with the mortal self of the spirit, the insult, the meet, the ambush. Then the news. Then I finished my story, North was crunching on a biscuit, his eyes widened with bemusement. "Why, Jack, no wonder you're in my naughty list even when you were that Jack Overland! You stole a pair of precious antlers!"

I pursed my lips into a thin line. "That's not what I mean- oh, forget it. Maybe I was dreaming."

* * *

Veronica's POV

As expected, I surrendered miserably.

After a few awkward lines of gossip but endless chattering with Paula, I settled on my bed, tuning up my iPod stereo and made sure it blared to its max level. I sighed, resting on my bed post and tried to get rid of all the both exhilaratingly and shocking thoughts away from my messy mind, crossing my arms. Then I craned my neck at the iPod as it played a song I never heard before;_It's not Christmas without you._

I frowned. I don't remember enrolling that song on my playlists. But I closed my eyes as I listened to the lyrics;

_Carolers singing_

_Sleigh bells are ringing_

_It's that time of year_

_Everyone's toasting_

_Chestnuts are roasting_

_Christmas time is near_

_Something's missing and I'm wishing_

_Wishing that you knew_

_How much it would mean to spend this_

_Christmas time with you_

_So if you feel it coming_

_On this special day_

_Just trust your heart_

_Don't let your head get in the way_

_'Cause it's Christmas_

_And the start of something new_

_Oh it's Christmas_

_And I hope you will feel it too_

_Candy canes and mistletoe_

_Jack Frost nipping at your nose~_

I paused at the lyric, and frowned, the moment of the meeting Jack poured back into my mind again. Sighing, I left the soft touch of my quilt, and went to the center of my bedroom.

Momma and Da painted and renovated the room ever since my arrival. The walls were painted light apple green, with chocolate brown stripes decorating the lower part of the wall simply, a wide French windows with only a single wooden frame covered the wall across my bed, which was quilted with a splash of cranberry pink with a few flowers decorating it, and white framings. The bedpost was made out of simple white leather, and a fake diamond dug into the center of it, letting the sunlight seep into the room, brightening the wooden tiles.

At the right of my bed was a trendy wooden study table from Ikea, with a built in mini cupboard filled with my notes and books, a pencil case, microscope, and a self-adjusting chair. Then a wardrobe filled with chic clothes my mom and friends demanded me to wear and horse riding attire, a special holder to put my bow, and last but not least, a red boxing bag, situated in the center of the room, few meters away from the bed.

I took no offer of budget from both momma or Da. I worked hard saving money, earning it buy taking care of flowers for other people, and even baby sitted. Finally, I scrambled into the combat shop and bought off the last boxing set. Momma was pretty proud of my achievement, but she wasn't pleased with what I bought.

So I guess no boxing lessons for me.

I shoved in my boxing gloves, and started by usual boxing activity. Uppercut, left hook, combo no.5, jab... When sweat dripped onto my woolen jacket, and my hair was soaked with water streaming down the golden bangs, my knuckles burning with lead, the door creaked open, revealing Momma's bright face covered with freckles.

"Sweetie, are you free tomorrow?" She questioned. "Mrs Benette called. Jamie needs babysitting."

I paused my doing and looked at Momma. Babysitting kids had been the worst for me. I had to restrain my casual attitude or rough attitude, just to make the kids not to cry. But Jamie has so far been the most obedient kid I've ever babysat, and I was looking forward to see him again, even though I quitted my babysitting career right after I bought my boxing babies. I recalled the moments that we had, chasing away foxes in the woods and playing tagging with his dog Chaser. He lives right in the middle of the city, the neighborhood of Burgess, not far yet not near either.

My mind got thrown into a messy calendar of events. Tomorrow is Sunday, which would be when my archery lesson held. I glimpsed at my bow, then back at my mom. I became more and more attached to the bow, even though I always leave it in the house and grew interested in gunnery. But...

"Nah, the lesson can be posponed. Tell Jamie to be ready in the woods again." I suppressed a smile almost as wide as Momma's before she left. "Oh, and don't break your knuckles, sweetie!"

I smirked bitterly as I leaned on my bedpost. That was the billionth time she said that, and this time I thought I could get away with it. "Alright Momma!" I yelled, taking off my boxing gloves and dug into my wardrobe for a towel and a pair of new clothes, before going into the shower.


	5. Jamie oh Jamie

Veronica's POV

I smiled as Da's Mercedes Benz halted in front of a cream colored house with a pointed roof and smoke unfurling in the corner like wisps of flames, and the the wooden door swung opened violently as a boy came crashing onto the porch, then landed his eyes on me like a dog eyeing a cookie.

I smiled as I came out of the car, and let out my hands as Jamie crashing into my open arms after putting down my bow holder, laughing wildly. I ruffled his messy hair playfully as he flashed his braced teeth at me. "I missed you!" He yelled, almost too loud for my ear drums to concentrate and blowing a wispy breath scented like mint. I grinned, and hugged him back.

"Well, I can't say I don't miss this kid." I chuckled, pulling his fluffy hoodie onto his now messy hair, and patted his shoulder. "Now, to where, lad?" I faked a heroic tone, which made Jamie laughed ever more, before he managed to squeeze the answer through the hysterical laughter;

"To the woods!"

"And so we shall!" I continued faking the tone, and carried Jamie into the house to greet his mother, almost tripping over the porch in accident as Jamie giggled on, grasping my shoulder like a cat's claw dragging along a pice of brick, causing me to wince.

* * *

Jack's POV

I watched silently as Jamie, the first ever child who believed in me, got carried in laughing by the spring spirit, Everlyn, or Veronica Alexander, whatever. I rubbed my head sadly as I recalled the meet before today. Never mess with _the_ spring spirit. Ever.

I quietly swept myself onto the rooftop, sparing a glance at Jamie's sister's room window, with Sophie and her favorite fairy wings attached to it, playing with her dog and screaming maniacally. Then I just sat right beside the chimney, waiting for the two to come bustling out of the door into Jamie's father's car.

When the bulky monster truck chugged to life with a splutter, it gave a mechanic growl and the car zoomed off into the broad, slightly frosted pathway leading to the quiet environment of GreenLand Woods, with me following close by its trail.

* * *

Veronica's POV

"Oh, Oh, Vi, did I tell you about the Guardians?" Jamie pounced excitedly on my lap like a energetic cub hungering for milk, causing me to wince again. Boy, this boy seriously knows how to make people uncomfortable. But I managed to resist the pain and told him to sit down on a proper position of his dad's monster truck, and he did noisily.

"Okay, tell me about it." I grinned, all ears to know what type of story he was about to splutter. As soon as the words escape my mouth, Jamie started telling me all about some Santa Claus with pirate swords, the Easter Bunny looking like a kangaroo with boomerangs "so huge and cool", the Tooth fairy kinda... "SHE'S LIKE A HUMMING BIRD!" And other mythical characters, like Sandman and Boogeyman, Jamie kinda describe him like a white skinned guy with black horses and a black dress (weird).

"And guess who I first met! GUess! Guess! Guess!" Jamie jumped up and down on his seat again, and I spared a apologetic glance at the father, who was snorting slightly. Then I turned back, looking at Jamie, randomly fishing a answer.

"Sandman?"

"Nope. Guess again."

"The Easter Bunny. Am I wrong?"

"Wrong!"

"Fine, who is it?" To be honest, I was curious of what he was gonna say.

"The wholly awesome... JACK FROST!" Jamie threw his hands up and grinned like a mad man. "He was so cool, though he never wore shoes, and he can fly, and turn things to ice, and he saved me from the Boogeyman! How awesome is THAT!"

_Oh, no. Not him again._

"Wow, cool, Jamie! You must be sooo lucky to meet those guys. Did you travel anywhere, like Santa's toy workshop?" I asked, pretending to be thrilled, but my mind was back at Jack. Why was he appearing in so many things? He was seriously getting over my nerves. But my thoughts were cut by a tap on the window, and I jerked to the porch window, only to see the whole window coated with frost.

"JACK FROST!" Jamie screamed again, and plastered himself to the window, waving wildly at the a upside down white haired bow who's pale lips curved into a grin at the young kid. waving slightly in response with a frosty and occupied with a staff. I sighed, sliding back into my seat and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the tap and calls I received by Jamie while I hugged my bow encased in a leather holder. My heart was pounding up and down, like another rain of documents just showered on it.

"JACK WANTS TO MEET YOU, VI! GET UP!" Jamie screamed for the fourth time, and pulled my jacket violently, causing me to almost growl. Finally, I was fished upwards with frazzled hair, half of my head was on top of the porch window, meeting Jack's icy blue eyes, twinkling with mischief and a grin on his face. I was saved by Mr. Bennett's annoyed call. "Jamie, if you don't get down now, we'll get a accident!" That pulled Jamie down immediately, but he didn't forget to wave a hand at the winter spirit, before sulking and crossing his arms.

Somehow I managed to calm his souring spirit down by making a bet he'll get to beat me up if he doesn't get to meet Jack Frost again, and that lightened back his caffeinated mood. I always do beat ups, I thought as I grinned at the scenery of a empty flow of highway.

At last, we arrived at the woods. Mr Bennett pulled onto a clear place filled with fertilized dirt as a subsitude for a parking lot, I strapped my bow holder to my back and me and Jamie waved goodbye to Mr Bennett as he took his fishing pole and slapped on a cap filled with badges before taking the opposite direction.

I've been bringing Jamie into the woods for several times, wanting him to know how the current of nature feels like, the pureness of the ancient civilization healing your experiences on the rich smog and carbon dioxide you get from the urban environment. The first time, the parents weren't so sure, then with a few certificates of extreme survival programs, black belts, they gave me a try, and when I brought him back safely and laughing, they eventually agreed, since Jamie's father was fishing there too.

I took a deep breath of the forest air, so pure and cooling, despite the snow and stuff covering the green carpet of grass, leaves and flowers. Sunlight struggled to break the frosty mist cloaking the brisk air, leaving only a faint cover of sunlight warming my face a little. My combat boots made a crunching snow on the winter ground below me like I was stepping on a lane filled with biscuits, leading towards nowhere.

A creek trickled gently over the rocks like a miniature waterfall, not froze at all, purifying a few ferns around the small stream. There was a few insect calls occasionally, blending into a silent melody streaming through the whole icy forest.

Jamie took a good look around him quickly, and turned back to me "Can we have a snowball fight now? Please please please?" His eyes grew puppy like, his face got all cutely droopy and he held his hands on his chin. I smiled, nodding though I wasn't falling for that begging tactic. "Sure. One on one."

Jamie beamed, and scurried to a edge to make his first snowball. I laughed, making one myself, until I felt a freezing sensation on the back of my head, like someone just bailed a bucket of ice on me, causing my heart to tighten like a rubber band strapping it.

I turned back, finding myself looking at nothing, but a small fern sprouting on a withered tree trunk, in time to hear a shrill yell from Jamie, which means the war is starting, and I spun around, using my arm to shove the flying snowball out of my sight in the speed of light, and threw my attack, which flew like a dagger onto Jamie's cheek.

The battle raged on, and my concentration was suddenly cut like a blade shoving on the center of a rope, and I looked back again, ignoring the snowball that tossed onto my shoulder by Jamie, revealing the same fern on the trunk, and a toe dangling on it-

I looked up, and threw my snowball at Jack Frost, who immediately burst into hysterical fits of laughter and hitting his fist on the branch dramatically as soon as I saw him, his whole boy jerking like a wobbly jelly. I glanced nervously as the branch he was sitting on creaked with a silent aching tone, over the verge of smashing to the ground, and glared back at him. "Nice to meet you again, Frost Bite." I crossed my own arms, and I heard Jamie stumbling to my side.

"Hey there, kid." Jack greeted the child casually after recovering from his laughter, who replied with a wild wave. I patted Jamie. "Well, nice to have company for Jamie fun chatting while I'll go... do my own stuff." I took my bow an revealed its sleek designs, and I polished it slightly with my hand. "Nice bow." I heard Jack whistle, and I spun to him quickly, arming myself in a shooting position, and as expected, a small stream of prickled leaves slithered from the bow' hidden blade, forming into a golden arrow, pointing at the staring Jack.

"Okay, that was cool too?" Jack stuttered, and I craned my neck.

"What are you doing here?" I muttered, making Jamie back stepped for a while, and Jack just stared at me for a while, before back to chuckling. "I was just paying visit and I wanna.. uh..." He scratched his white hair, looking down on the coat of white, with me still in the stance, cocking a eyebrow at him.

"Apologize about the thing three hundred years ago? Heh heh." Jack plastered a silly smile on his pale face as he looked at me. I turned away, but my eyes were still on his. "I'll think about it."

"What three hundred years old? Your ancestors fought? Huh? Huh? Your great grandfather is Mr Capulet?" The young boy beamed. Me and Jack stared at him. "Who introduced you to Romeo and Juliet?"

"My cousin. She's a flirt and a TOTAL obsessive with love stories."

"Oh?" Jack snickered, then sighed. "No, Jamie, my ancestor is not three hundred years old. But Jamie, can you promise something?"

"What is it?" Jamie leaned forward, his eyes eyeing Jack like a puppy, making the white haired guy chuckle, a faint smile spreading into his face. I crossed my arms, unloading my bow. Still don't look like a charmer.

Jack leaned on the trunk, sighing, before telling everything about him, his immortal age, his mortal history, and me and his meet. Jack was surprisingly good at summarizing, because soon Jamie knew everything, and was standing as still as a rock statue.

Jack nodded, shifting a little. Jamie was now just standing there, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, then he looked at me.

"Why does Jamie has to know this? He's just ten nine years old, dude! Give him a break!" I crossed my arms, but before Jack can speak, Jamie had shattered from his frozen state, and jumping in front of me like a lion pouncing for meat dangling from a hook you see at the circus. "AWESOME! YOU CAN DO STUFF TOO! What can you do what can you do what can you do? Tell me tell me tell me tell me!"

And now he's starting to act like a girl begging to tell her crush who's he in love with. I sighed, and glared at Jack, who gave a smirky _you're welcome _face, before I placed my hands on his shoulders, hard, making him still on the ground. "Pinkie promise you won't tell anyone." I whispered, and he nodded, linking his last finger with mine, and we shook it, before I released his grip and told him to put out a hand.

When he did, I placed my hand on it, and looked softly as Jamie giggled, saying it kinda tickles and I lifted my hand, revealing a white rose with faint blue edges shading it lightly in his palm, which caught his breath immediately. "You can make flowers only?" I heard Jack chuckle behind me, and rage flared immediately inside as I turned around, and waved a hand.

I closed my eyes, finding the bond of the tree. Every plant has one, it was my best and latest research of myself. When I find it, I imagined myself coiling around it like a snake, bonding with it. It doesn't take long, and soon, the tree was under my control.

The tree he was sitting on creaked, and the branches lengthened in a shockingly high speed, transforming into a wild hands of a natural monster. The trunk flailed around the air, and Jack had to cling to the branch, yelling wildly as I smirked at the winter spirit, before adding poison vines to it. The tree's length shot upwards, and I formed spikes around the branches, causing the winter spirit to loose his grip on the tree and hit the ground, but I made a tuft of frozen grass beneath to bloom into a wildly huge bunch of bush, acting as a soft cushion for the winter spirit to fall on.

Now from a withered apple tree, it wholly transformed into a monster with branches and leaves and spikes all along it. I smiled at my creation, before calming it down and loosing my bond from it's string loosened, and it shrank, slowly, into a happy, healthy apple tree.

"Awesome!" Jamie yelled, looking at the apple tree with awe. I smiled, walking to the apple tree, and leaned up, plucking a bright red apple, and took a bite, breaking the thin skin and the rich, juicy liquid flowed into my mouth. After offering one to Jamie, and another one to Jack, who was still stunned. "Flower?" I joked. "It's organic."

* * *

Behind the lively laughters breaking the icy atmosphere, a feet of a horse trampled on the snow soundlessly, snorting as it released a puff of black smog, remembering it's command from his master:

_Kill her. _

Rearing up, the nightmare let out a shrill neigh, silencing the conversation erupting in front of them, and charged.

* * *

**Review, pwease? *puppy eyes***


	6. Dunks

Jack's POV

"WATCH OUT!"

My mind jerked into a alert state as soon as a shade of black coated a bush nearby, and a nightmare rose, rearing up and letting a shrill neigh, so eerie I had to gulp in a breath to not let fear injure my bold heart, and scoop Jamie up his feet, carrying him into a tall tree, not far from where Veronica stands.

As I held Jamie trembling in my icy grip, I watched as the nightmare closed on Veronica, and snorted dark fire, its glowing eyes trying to bore into the spirit's. Dread trickled on me when I remembered what can a simple stare from a nightmare do to you. For a moment, I just sat there calming Jamie but itching to save her from the nightmare.

Pitch. He was back, after two years of being caged by his own nightmares, he finally rose again.

Then Veronica rolled away, grabbed her bow and shot the nightmare into worthless wispy black sand and flames, which evaporated into nothing. I stared at her, as she got up and brushed herself off the snow, and looked at us, then Jamie. "What the heck was that? A electronic horse skeleton with black cloth stolen from the tuxedo shop? Seriously?"

I just continued to stare at her like a alien, opening my mouth and closing it as I brought Jamie back beside her. "How did you- I mean- I thought- how did you beat it just like that?" If it's the first nightmare the guardian ever faced, it took back ups to vanquish it, for it always attempt to paralyze people with fear. She just rolled, shot him without any trembling or fear, and the horse died.

"What? Your plan backfired?" She looked at me dully, crossing my arms. "No... I mean, that thing's a nightmare... and no one has ever moved when the nightmare stares at you. "Well, he just _stared _at me, and I feel perfectly fine and unharmed, though it was foolish enough to let me get my bow.

I watched as her eyes bowed, looking down at Jamie, who stuttered and grasping Jack's jacket like it was for life, stared at me. "V-V-V-Vi, I'm s- sc- scared." I my eyes turned at the young child, shocked. The last time Jamie faced one, he just placed a hand on a nightmare and it turned into dreamsand. Pitch must've modified something.

Veronica sighed, and lowered her stance. "It's okay, Jamie, nothing's gonna happen to you. What's wrong with a robot horse with stolen black cloth, tell me? Even so, will it kill you?" Jamie shook his head for a while, and bit his lip. "But its creepier than before."

"Jamie, oh Jamie." I looked as she tapped his nose. "There's nothing to be afraid of, unless you think they're creepy. Like a snowball. Hits you, its cold, you feel fear if you just think its cold and gives you a flu, but its fun." I stared at Veronica with awe, and mixed in. "Just like that horse. It's only creepier, but it's still you touch it, it goes dreamsand." Jamie nodded, then he returned to his normal face. "You guys are the best."

Veronica stared at me, confused. "What's a dreamsand?"

I stood up and took a deep breath. I have to let her meet the others, wether they like it or not, and I have to tell them about Pitch. "You free tomorrow?"

"Oh, why, why, why..." Veronica slumped on a tree branch, looking exasperated, and looked up. "Depends on where are you bringing me tomorrow."

"Somewhere you'll get all the answers about your type; spirits."

Jamie leaped up and down again on the snow, and stared at me pleadingly. "Can I go too? Pretty please please please?"

A smirk of amusement tugged my lips as I ruffled the kid's hair, sending it spilling everywhere on his head. "Not today, Jamie. We've got some serious things to do. But promise me you won't tell anyone about toady, okay?"

Jamie got a droopy with disappointment, but nodded, and hugged me, so warm and comfy. Guilt stabbed me as I realized letting a small kid handle so much trouble that was meant for only guardians was really wrong, so I racked my brain to find some fun to clear off things."Wanna snowball fight? You and me, against Vi." I laughed at Veronica, who crossed her arms across her chest, and snorted, her face souring. "Only Jamie and my best friend can call me that, snow face."

"No excuse. Three, two one, fight!"

"I HATE YOU!" Veronica yelled as she sprinted to the nearest tree for a shield as I shot a fine snowball at her leg. "YOU'RE WELCOME!" I yelled back.

* * *

Veronica's POV

Da and Momma was busy for the day, usual patients and requested sessions, so right after Mr Bennett brought Jamie back, I had to walk back home. I tied my blonde hair into a simple pony tail, and stuffed my bow back into my cover, a wispy breath slipping from my lips and vanished into thin air as waved goodbye to Jamie and started my journey home.

After a few steps away from the house, I felt the temperature screeching to a sharp drop beside me as I hugged my bow, and smirked. "You don't need to stalk me, snow head." I heard a chuckle, and Jack Frost appeared in fornt of me moonwalking, chuckling again. "Hey, stop giving me nicknames . I have a name, you know." I huffed. "Hmm... let me think about that... it's a no. I thought you'll be hanging out with Jamie."

"Oh, no. I have a job to do, and I'll have to keep an eye on the spring spirit, in case she tries to make spring earlier." I pushed Jack with a fist on his cheek, sending a freezing jolt on my veins. The winter spirit almost tumbled onto the pavement, but he regained his balance and pushed me down with his staff, sending me almost falling flat on my face on the concrete, yet was caught by Jack's arm on my back, like a ending pose from a masquerade ball, his lips inches away from mine. I felt the icy breath covering my warm face, and I winced, cutting the awkward moment with a scowl.

I growled in relief as he released his grip on me and I brushed off the frost from his jumper, looking at his mischievous face smirking. "No thanks to you. I guess the girls just fell for you like that when you do that."

"You're guessing it. Now I know why you said why they're foolish to be charmed by me. You never get charmed, and you never experienced it. The girls back then... they were like, wow." Jack laughed, making me think of the life I had when I was a princess.

"Back in my mortal life... I never charmed people purposely, but they just... come, and beg for my hand. I didn't even want to marry, even with my mother's desperate convincing." I said, flipping my hair a little.

"Well, a princess always have to get early marriage, they call it, isn't it?"

My soul jerked, like someone tried to push it into a swimming pool as I looked at him with sheer shock, but he only replied with a faint smile. "The next day after I met you, they said the princess was dead. Hunting in the woods. That's when they firmly passed the law women hunting is illegal." I bit my nail, trying to picture my mother crying in desperate hope to yearn for her daughter to return. It ached my heart, little by little, but I shove the pain away, focusing on the present.

"I never knew... being a princess was so effecting to the kingdom..." I sighed. And Jack nudged me with a elbow. "Hey, it's okay. You look better in parka and jeans than the armor you wore three hundred years ago. I nodded in solemn, reluctant agreement. "And more comfortable."

Silence reigned for a while, when only a few car's whizzing by and our steps audible in the street, and the sky started to fade to a combination of purplish twilight, a beautiful scene of purple sky and orange shadings. Jack broke the silence a little. "You know, it's kinda relieving to have someone from you know to accompany you in a alien environment. You feel... open." I hid the smile streaking across my lips, and took a deep breath. He was right. I don't feel so secretive anymore, like I can expose everything I felt after what happened to me three hundred years ago.

"Where's your house?" Jack suddenly turned to me, smiling like a commercial man. I blinked, then I pointed a finger at north. "It's around north, in the MidWood Luxury Residential-"

Before I can finish my sentence, a icy touch enveloped my hand and my whole body was thrusted into the air, into the world of clouds. I heard Jack laugh beside me, like a man out of prison, so free and happy, as we soared into the thick layer of clouds, spiraling like a falcon alongside the odd shapes the cloud formed, and finally, dove back into the earth, meeting a wide expanse of frozen woods spreading across me, and Jack came to a gentle land right on the familiar backyard of a greenhouse.

"This is my Momma's backyard! But how?" I turned to Jack, who shrugged and gave me a innocent look. I scanned around the garden, the wooden framed greenhouse, the line of frozen dandelions laying lifelessly on the ground, and a cover of snow on my feet. "Oh, fine." I sighed. "Thanks anyways." Jack rose a eyebrow. "Remember, tomorrow."

"I'll see." I went into the house without a second look at him, expecting him to leave the house already.

* * *

Momma and Da came home, after I hugged them, ate dinner with them and told them about babysitting, and went to wash up, and tucked myself into bed, forcing my eyes to shut, listening to a soothing country music, _Safe and Sound _by Taylor Swift from my iPod blared gently, lulling me like a modern lullaby. Finally, I snapped my eyes open, looking at another window that stretched to a whole twelve inches wall beside me, as the snowflakes fell so gently, landing on the snow, coating everything I saw.

Suddenly, I felt the temperature drop behind me. I cringed, hoping that the heater didn't wreck again. I didn't like using my powers while I'm sleeping, it would go cuckoo, and the next day, I had to lock my door before Momma can come in and clean up the whole blossomy or mossy mess. I sighed and sat up, looking at the heater in front of my bed, and it was running smoothly, the samsung device chugging like a truck, smoothly and quietly.

I frowned, and looked around. Had someone placed ice cubes on her bed, or-

"JACK FROST! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!" I yelled, straightening my quilt into a thick whip as I saw the winter spirit leaning on the wall right beside me bedpost, his staff right beside him. Jack shrugged. "I got bored."

"So your hobby is stalking girl's when they're sleeping. How interesting." I muttered, and loosened my blanket/night weapon, and buried myself into the blanket, trying my best to ignore the winter spirit as he chuckled. "Not really. But good night." Then his finger touched my noes tip, which was covered by the quilt, but it made me blink with sleepiness, and I drowned into the world of dreams.

* * *

**BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHA strange ending for a chapter, eh? Reviews pwease? 0w0**


	7. Everything weird

I woke up, groggy and stiff, blinking blankly at the new coat of snow layering the fir trees, the bushes, everything in sight, showered by a faint layer of morning sunshine through the window beside my bed. I stretched a little, moaning in a smooth tone, and did some waist warm ups, before looking around. As expected, that damn spirit was out of sight, which made me heave a relieved breath, before leaping off the bed.

I had breakfast, showered and washed up before kissing Momma and Da on the cheek before stepping up onto the waiting bus beeping outside, meeting Paula waving wildly at one of the windows, causing me to smile and I watched in mild bemusement as she kicked a boy across the bus door to prevent him to claim the seat beside her, and pulled me onto it. "Hey, you seem warm today."

"What? I was cold nowadays?" I thought of Jack, and frowned. Paula nodded in silent agreement. "Yeah, every time I wanted to go near you, you just feel... cold, like you had a mini air con inside you. But yeah, now you're normal, I can get near you and get warm." I laughed, and glared at her playfully.

"So you befriended me because I'm warm?"

"Not really. Who was it that convinced you to go to the Texas trip last year, in the middle of July, and was your room mate, huh?" Paula loomed threateningly over me, and I raised both of my hands, like a criminal being caught by the police. "Alright, you win." That made her withdraw, and she pushed me with a fist playfully. "Do not underestimate me, woman."

"I'll never."

School was perfectly normal, no stuff topping down from the shelf, the class experiment pet Squeaks was still in its cage, and no strange dropping of temperature. School ended with a shrill ring of the bell, and everyone woke from their dulled spirits, and crashed onto each other to get to the exit as quick as possible to get out of the chemistry class.

I walked down to my home as usual, and had my riding lessons with Cella, my horse, and then probably the last event of the day, saber fencing. Jack didn't interrupt any of the moments in the day, and I was almost convinced he was out of my life at bedtime until I growled at a tap of the door, revealing Jack standing in fornt of my french window, looking at me playfully as I dragged myself up and let him in skipping.

"What do you want, frostie?" I growled, making him laugh.

"You ready?"

"To sleep."

"You can sleep later. You have a meeting with the others." Jack tipped his staff on my boxing bag, which froze a little, but I protected it from leaking sand by covering the ice with moss. "I spent four months of working to get this. Do. Not. Mess. With. My. Boxing. Bag. Or. You'll. Be. My. Subsitute." I muttered in a low voice, and he gulped. I imagined him being tied up with chains and hung in midair. He plastered a 'okay' smile.

"Fine, but at least get changed. And bring your bow."

"Where are you bringing me to with a bow? I've a social life too good to be in jail." I threw up my hands, and Jack smirked again, but leaned over to take my bow, but suddenly, he screamed in agony, and withdrew his hand immediately, like he just touched a searing hot metal from a oven. "How did you even hold it? It's burning hot!" I looked as he nursed his pink hand with frost, and sighed in relief.

I frowned. "Hot?" I walked to touch it, but it felt perfectly fine under my grip as I twanged its bowstring. "Doesn't feel hot to me. Maybe it's not for other people to touch... " I took it out from its holder and smiled at it, impressed. "Good security feature. Suck it, Frostie."

Jack groaned.

After I was dressed in my combat attire and my bow safely kept on my back, Jack led me out of the room, into the night winter wonderland, with the moonlight bathing me, a chilly wind blowing on my face, and I looked back at my room worriedly. "But Momma and Da-"

"I'll make sure you get home safely, okay?" Jack made me stare into his eyes, and I sighed, nodding. "Fine. Take me to the place."

Jack chuckled, and leaned in his hand to pinch my cheek, only to receive a sharp twack from my finger, and he withdrew, noticing my glare. "Alright, but be ready to experience the wilderness, Vi."

"What do you mean-"

The next minute, a light exploded in front of me and started to intensify, and seemed to suck me into it, like a portal, until I realized it is a portal until I was plummeting into the light...

And landed on wooden ground.

* * *

I swear, my eyes just deceived me the first thing I looked up.

The first thing I saw was a splash of multicolored toys piling into a massive mountain, ranging from Barbie dolls to LEGOs, and even toy planes zooming through the air, almost smashing onto my face if I didn't roll away. Around me was stubby little creatures in red suits with tippy hats and a bell on them, jingling madly as they scuttled around, holding plate filled with cookies and biscuits.

Around the toys was a pile of pillars and balconies lining up to the circular room which contained many furry guys painting robots and wooden dolls, stretching to nowhere into the sky like a interior space of enormous pillar.

"Is this a house of a toy thief?" I sat up, rubbing my neck as I saw Jack stepping through the blinding light, and looked at it as it disappeared, his hand toying with a snow globe. "It's Santa's workshop, but we usually call him North." He smiled, and I looked around again, filled with awe. "No, way."

"You're skeptical? You just met Jack Frost, and you're skeptical?" The Winter Spirit laughed, and tossed himself on one of the wooden pillars, laughing hilariously. I pulled my face. "Well, meeting you is a different story." I crossed my arms, and knocked the guy, snapping him out of the hysterical state. "Well, okay, okay. chill, man." He still chuckled, and took a deep breath.

"Frost bite! What is a Sheila doing here?"

A thick Australian accent hit my ears, and I looked at a hybrid of a kangaroo and a bunny filled with tattoos standing on one of the balcony, in his furry paws was a pair of boomerangs engraved with ancient australian symbols. It just stood here, looking at me dangerously, and I rose a eyebrow. "Am I looking at a talking Kangaroo, or a bunny?"

Jack erupted into laughter again behind me, and the hybrid growled. "See, Bunnymund? You seriously have to be not believe in before people can see you as a bunny!"

I crossed my arms and examined the kangaroo, whom Jack was referring to as Bunnymund. "So it is a bunny? How interesting. A Pooka, I think?" Jack clasped his paws. "Yes, mate. I am a Pooka. And who are you, trespassing into North's workshop, eh?" Jack stepped in front of me, and did a manly gesture. "Veronica, meet the Easter Bunny. Bunnymund, meet the spring spirit."

I glanced at the winter spirit. "No, seriously. That. Is the Easter Bunny?"

Suddenly, Bunnymund tossed one of its/his boomerangs at me in top speed, and my hands reacted at the speed of light- and the next thing, the boomerang was pinned on a rail of a balcony far from the bunny with a gleaming golden arrow, who looked at his weapon with sheer shock, then back at me, which I withdrew my bow.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that don't mess with her. You might lose your boomerangs permanently." Jack pointed out awkwardly. I huffed. "Okay, Frostie. WHat, exactly are you gonna do when you bring me to a-" My words were taken away from a hearty laugh ringing around the pillar, causing the stubby creatures to scatter in a alien speed, like a kid running away when his mom came back.

Out came a man who just gone through a line of food competitions. The man had a bright scarlet face, like someone who was tired from crafting, and on his bold hands was tattoos with _Naughty _and _Nice _printed on it, his bold hands securing on his waist, which was wrapped with a thick red cloth. On his chin grew a wild amount of white beard, but his bright sky eyes glittered with liveliness. "Ah, what do we have here... a fair looking lass!" The man winked at me, and I gaped my mouth open.

"Santa?!" I glared at Jack, who gave a smile at me. "Veronica, meet North, aka Santa." The jolly man gave a friendly wave, and I lingered on the pair of butterfly swords sitting on his waist, and pursed my lips into a thin line. "Since when Santa learn fencing?" I groaned, and watched as the man gave me a choking hug, and he withdrew. "North, meet the new spring spirit, Veronica Alexander, or Everlyn, as you call her." Jack smirked, and Santa put me down, and shook my hand violently. "Nice to see you, lass!"

What is happening? Why am I meeting Santa and the Easter Bunny at the same place? Confusion spun in my mind like a wild tornado, and suddenly a bright flash of yellow, peacock green and purple shaded the air in front of me, and suddenly, in front of me stood a women in a humming bird suit with a pair of wings buzzing behind her, a thrilled expression plastered on her face, and I looked at her bright, flashing teeth.

Humming bird...? I recalled the way that Jamie described how the Tooth fairy look, and I widened my eyes. "You're the Tooth Fai-" I was cut off when a pair of delicate fingers pried my mouth, like a dentist examining a patient's teeth. "Such bright, white teeth, you must've brushed your teeth really well! Oh gosh, look at all those big boys sitting on the gum..." She said in a faltering tone, her freakish eyelashes batting at my teeth.

"Call me Tooth, sweetie." The fairy released her grasp, and I blinked as she smiled at me sweetly. "Okay, can someone tell me what is happening here?" Suddenly I heard a tap on my shoulder, and I sund around, meeting a really short guy, thrice the size of the creatures carrying cookies covered in golden dust, dressed in a robe that doesn't seemed to move, and had a weird Einstein haircut waving as small hand at me cheerfully.

"That's Sandman, but we call him Sandy. He can't speak, so he normally use symbols." Sandy demonstrated silently by doing a top hat on his head. I slumped on a pillar. My heart beating wildly, my mind spinning like crazy, like a horse just ran over it. "Why am I meeting childhood idols in one place?"

"Oh yeah, North, Pitch returned." Jack turned to Santa, and the man's face darkened, sending a grim atmosphere in the room. Tooth gasped, Sandy widened his eyes, Bunnymund growled. "I knew that man wouldn't give up. But you don't need to bring a witness here." He pointed at me, which I scowled, making North stare at me like a alien.

"She defeated the nightmare that ambushed us yesterday. By herself, and he eve survived the nightmare's stare." Jack received a lot of shocked gasp, and Bunnymund huffed. "Alright, not bad." North widened his eyes. "Impossible! It takes back ups, you lass!" I covered my eyes with my hand, dully ,and gave a exasperated sigh. "What is wrong with you guys? What's wrong with its stare?! I need answers, dammit!"

Jack opened his mouth to answer when something whizzed through me, jolting me violently as I watched at a small humming bird-no, a smaller version of Tooth zooming through the air, and landed right in front of the Tooth fairy, and started chattering away in a supersonic speed I frowned when Tooth nodded in acknowledgement, turning to a wooden door. "The Man in the Moon is here." Tooth whispered, and Santa was the first one to turn, his face twisting into a relieved smile. "Manny? Last one to the Globe is guaranteed in the naughty list!" He cried, and Sandman let a golden steam hiss from his ears, before catching up with the crowd.

I hesitated to join them, then curiosity got the best of me to know the man who actually lived in the moon, excluding Neil Armstrong, and sprinted for the wooden door, trailing behind the group.

As I paused in front of the door, I felt my breath being whisked away as in front of me sat the biggest globe I've ever saw, with flickering lights covering the edges, dotting the dark silence. Around me was a dome, letting a sight of the icy mountains and the icy hurricane brewing outside. A shower of moonlight rained from a hole on the dome, lighting up the ground beneath me, revealing a stone tile with symbols engraving it.

As the crowd inched in, I felt uncomfortable having Frostie squeezing beside me, like I was pressing on a block of ice. But every sense tingled to nothingness as I saw a shadow morphing into a man with a hair like a spiky wave, a sharply angled face, a thin neck. "I knew it, old friend. Pitch." I heard someone gasp, and I returned to the image. A women slowly formed from the man, with a fit face, and locks of gorgeous hair piling up on her head, with freakishly long eyelashes, weirder than Tooth's.

"Who is she?" I head Frostie question beside me, and Bunnymund gave a growl bubbling with revenge, before answering. "Sorrow."

I cringed. "Her name is Sorrow?"

I looked at North as he nod. "I never knew... she was working with Pitch..." Tooth shuddered. "What would they be up to now?" She stuttered, desperately trying to cool down, with the help of the smaller versions of her comforting her. "I don't know, but we have to stop them. Sandy nodded, determined, and waited for the last news.

The stone stile flipped open, revealing a diamond in a form of a prism, sitting on a stone slab, glowing as powerful as ever lie a torch, receiving gasp and Ooos from the five. "He chose a new Guardian." He whispered, and I frowned. "Guardian? What's that?"

"I wonder who's gonna be the new Guardian!" Tooth squealed excitedly, and Bunnymund kept muttering 'Not the Groundhog, Not the Groundhog, Not the GroundHog..."

Wispy fire started to dance on the tip of the diamond, forming, slowly into a figure. Familiarity struck me as the feet started to form, then the legs, waist, the arms, hands, and finally, the head. It was a wispy image of girl holding a bow, her slightly curly hair being blown to a side, and her stance looked like she was leaping off a cliff.

I examined the image of the face, and the freezing shock of recognition hit me like a tsunami wave, almost making me faint.

The girl was me.

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**Hope you guys liked it! :3Review please, please, please, please? **


	8. Sorrow

**Just a reminder; this story happened after the movie, so yeah. =)**

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I just stood there, waiting for the fire to go out and my heart to stop thumping wildly, my soul clattered in a mess and confusion. When all was good and the statue didn't fade, to my irritation I pointed a hand at the girl. "Why am I there?"

"The Man in the Moon just chose you to be a Guardian." North pointed out in a solemn voice, and Tooth squealed. "OHMYGOD WE'RE GONNA BE BEST FRIENDS!" She zoomed over to give me a bear hug, brought me up into the air and did crazy acrobats as I heard a yell of frustration from the Easter Bunny, and I just stood there like a doll, confused.

"WHat's a Guardian, I repeat?!" I held my hands on my pounding head. "Please, don't cut me again! I want answers!"

Jack laughed, and patted my shoulder. "Well, my friend, you just got yourself a job. Notice a similarity of us?" I looked up, pondering on the question, scanning at the five of them, smiling warmly, even Bunnymund, like they were in front of kids... A thought popped into me like a balloon. "You are believed in the kids?" I guess, and North gave a whoop of joy. "Right there, Everlyn!"

"We rely on the kids, and the kids rely on us to get presents, colored eggs, quarters, dreams and winter. It's pretty much like a cycle. So if we're not believed in, we'll loose the powers to send the needs of the children's belief. But it's not just that. If there's a problem, we're there to fight for the kid's joy, against darkness, fear and sorrow."

"Recently we just defeated Pitch, which they call the Boogeyman, the spirit of fear. But we never expected him to be back again, this time with a partner, one she calls herself Sorrow." Jack explained, and I nodded, letting it all sink in. I was part of the kids needs now? Typical. North stepped in. "Being a Guardian, it is very helpful for you to discover your center, similar to your inner potential. Jack's center is fun, Tooth's center is the memories, Bunnymund, hope, Sandy, dreams, and me, wonder." North pointed at himself proudly, and looked at me. "What's yours, lad?"

I shrugged, my mind blank. "I don't know. But there must be a mistake... I'm only a five year old spirit..." I inched forward to scrutinize the statue, only to find the girl described carefully of every detail of me, except the blank eyes staring at nothing. The bow was, too, exactly etched with the same diamonds in the same pattern, the golden string, there was no excuse it wasn't me. I took a deep breath.

Tooth assured me with a gentle hand. "It's okay, sweetie. The Man in the Moon doesn't choose you for no reason. You'll get used to being a Guardian, fast. For now... We'll have to wait till the danger strikes." North nodded. "This way we'll know where he'll land. The nightmare is barely a beginning of his schemes. Take a look, and be careful, especially Jack, and Everlyn. If you can. protect them."

* * *

_"My dear master."_

A women looking in her thirties glided into a dark chamber a flawless pace, as silent as a rat, as graceful as a swan, her black silk dress layered with delicate grey stain dragging behind her as she entered a room with a dome, letting only the smallest amount of the sunlight peek into the room filled with thorn cages that could drive a sane mortal to death.

Around her was a deadly manically designed flights of stairs, twisting into unimaginable states, and at the center was a globe, similar of the size of what North had, yet it was just plain bronze, glinting under the faint layer of sunlight, and the Nightmare King, the Feared One, Pitch Black. The man smiled, a devious curve of his pale lips as he saw his apprentice walking to him, her eyelashes batting. "Why, my dear Sorrow. Good timing."

The lady gave a small curtsey, raising her claw-like black fingernails, and looked up, her sickly green eyes looking into Pitch's glowing yellow's. "Did I miss anything?" A raspy yet droopy feminine voice escaped her lips, and Pitch laughed. "You know, battling Guardians that just fear, it is indeed boring, right?" The woman cackled, raising her fingers to her lips. "Why, those pesky little people were into our schemes again?"

"No, we have something more... interesting. Looks like Man in the Moon chose a rather... challenging new Guardian. This one, just killed one of our creations." Sorrow widened her eyes blandly, but inside it was utter shock. "To the rumors I've received," He spared a glance at the nightmares above them, hungering for fear and thundering their hooves. "It's a spirit, a spring spirit, and it's a girl."

The women looked slightly bemused. "Why, what a joke! The man in the moon has been loosing his taste, fortunately." Pitch laughed, placing a hand on his apprentice's chin. "You've learned so beautifully, my dear Sorrow. Soon, we'll be invincible, and the foolish fairy tales will no longer exist, and Oh, Jack Frost, that Jack Frost..." He chuckled as he left Sorrow, stomping around the globe, his bony hands ballin to fists filled with hungering revenge. "I'll crush that boy to pieces, and smash every sight of snow, and look, as the children will never ever see the light of joy."

"Ever."

* * *

Veronica's POV

"Oh, wow. The Boogeyman do exist too?" I placed my chin on my knee, now dressed in my pajamas back at my home, staring as Jack, sitting beside me, described everything about the so called Guardians. I was surprised how long they actually inherited this title, and how important it was to the kids. I thought being one of them wouldn't be a problem, but they do have, one, big enemy. Maybe two, I think.

Jack nodded. "But we call him Pitch. Pitch Black."

I shuddered at the mention of that name. "You guys have weird names." Jack smiled. "Well, you don't say it's interesting for the kids to say it out." I looked away from his gaze, and mimicked a baby's voice; "Jack Fwost is lwame!" I added a playful meow, and Jack smirked, smashing a pillow at me, but he didn't say anything. I stretched, and flopped onto my comfy bed, sighing in relief. "I'm sure glad all of that's over. You guys sure know how to drive the hell out of me."

"Well, Tooth is really friendly, North can be a little dangerous if you make him mad, but I think you're the worst among them." Jack laughed, and I growled. "Watch out for the Easter Kangaroo. He always make out a mess, but you guys are in the same season, so... I don't know" I snuggled into my bed covers. "If he touches my stuff, I'll make sure I get to eat the first piece of his cooked meat."

With that, my mind finally settled down, and my eyelids grew heavy, before plummeting into a world of dreams.

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**I'm sorry I can't write anymore, but seriously, it's like 12 in the morning at my place, and I feel like... *DURRRRRRR***


	9. Token of happiness

**WELL, MERRY CHRISTMAS PEOPLE! I hope I could go to the countdown at my place, but yeah... ._. it's too crowded. **

**CRAP! I FORGOT ABOUT THE NEW GUARDIAN CEREMONY THING! DX WhatamIgonnadowhatamIgonnado whatamIgonnado? **

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Jack's POV

I lowered the blanket that covered the snoring Veronica, and I couldn't help but smirk at the peaceful face of the spring spirit slumbering peacefully. Her face was loose, her pale, beautiful face contrasting under the moonlight, and her lips slowly curved into a smile as the dreamsand started to gather above her head slowly.

Then I spared a moment to slap myself a little. Dude, Jack Frost, snap outta it. You're suppose to be the Guardian of Fun, not falling for her, darn it.

I turned back, and leaped through the window back into the eeire silence of the moon.

When I landed softly on Santa's workshop, the atmosphere remained grim, but the Four were huddled into a table for a discussion. When Tooth came to greet me with a warm hug, I returned it briefly and walked to North. "So how are we gonna deal with this... Sorrow?" I tapped the tip of my staff on my shoulder as I waited for North to explain. The bold man scratched his beard slowly. Tooth had bought herself some time to resumed her daily work with the Baby Tooths, Sandy already out to spread dreams, Bunnymund bringing a can of paint and is now delicately painting a blank pink egg.

"We plan to use the Token of Joy." He mused, and I frowned. "Uh, what's that Token of... wha-?" I leaned closer to get a chance of better hearing.

"The Token of Joy, Jack. A hundred years before you became a guardian, we faced Sorrow once, only to be defeated by the Token of Joy. She is not a easy opponent, but Pitch is worse. I think that is why they partnered up." He received a puzzled glance from me, and hurriedly continued.

"Back to topic! The Token of Joy is usually used for the last resort, but having two strong opponents combining together... I don't think we are given any more chances. This Token, can be a form of anything- except for living beings, of course. But it have a big problem; it can only be used one. Yet fear not, there are many more, though they are scattered around the world and heavily guarded by spirits. I am only allowed to guard one, and that was used up."

"So... we have to go get another one?" I frowned. "That's kinda easy, not to mention I just solved the transportation problems." I tipped onto the air and spun around the air randomly, grinning at him. North tossed me a smirk. "You haven't heard the catch, yet, don't react. the world is wide, and I only know one location of the Token, it's in the hands of Cupid, who lives in Venice. Beware, he is a very tricky spirit, and he is joins none of the sides."

"Cupid, that scrooge. That guy never helps, he just sit and mess around with french toasts and steals my eggs for the couples." Bunnymund grumbled, puting down his work and pretended to toss one of his boomerangs. I frowned. "So how long is our time to get there?" North gave me three fingers. "We have estimated only three days to save our kids from getting plunged into the Dark Age. So be quick, and tell Veronica this too. We have to gather as much help as possible."

Through the tiny window that lets a peek of the frosty mountains outside, the nightmare just stood there on the roof, as still as a statue as its dark mane flapped along the icy hurricane, before plunging back to his master the update with the lastest news.

* * *

"Cupid? Interesting..." The tall man mused as he walked to the Nightmare Globe in a slow, but eerie pace, as if every footstep of his could inject maniac fear into a sane mortal. Sorrow walked a few steps behind the Pitch, but her green eyes are gleaming in malice. "Master, I am sure they'll go to Italy in no time. I'll go to snuff them out. The last time the foolish guardians faced me, they had no choice but to use the last resort-"

"But they still defeated you, didn't they?" Pitch mused, turning sharply back, boring into Sorrow's eyes, his eyes filled with irritation yet his face was bland. "No matter how many excuse there is, you are still defeated."

"I can do it this time. They don't have any more Tokens, so it will be easy for me to just snuff out their breaths like a mere pile of dust. Let me do it, master, and you can wait as I bring you their bones." This time, Pitch managed to hesitate at this request. True, they were in the search of a token to beat his apprentice, and yet, there was nothing to defeat him. It was only a addition of two guardians, so how much could it effect?

"Very well, my dear." That brought a content smile to the spirit's lips, and her eyes glinted. "Do not disappoint me." Pitch warned, and returned his focus to the Globe, leaving Sorrow pausing at midstep, her smile turning into a grin as a image of the Guardians dead under her feet brought sheer joy into her heart. "I won't, master. I won't."

* * *

Jack's POV

"No, I am NOT going to Venice. What do you think I am, a explorer? A star? I am a student caged in a house with only fighting sessions, gentleman!" I stared at Veronica as I watched her punch the boxing bag furiously like she was treating someone she hungered for revenge for a long time, though I wasn't gonna stop protesting. "But it's for the kids sake, man! Imagine Jamie, just crying for no reason!"

"No one would ever do that, Jack. Even winter spirits have to be logical for a while, like I still read how snow is formed even when I met Jack Frost." I pictured a logical picture of how snow falls, but I can't make a picture of it. "But seriously, this is a crisis, lady!" I had to stop her. She's freaking me out, and I grabbed the boxing bag. "Like it or not, better start packing up." She sighed, taking off her boxing gloves. "Jack, this is the first time I was pullen into a job without a permission, and I do not like it."

"So... you're quitting?" There was a irritated tone, a little alien for a Guardian of Fun to own, something I really hated to experience. She shrugged causally, like it wasn't a big deal. "I guess...You can say that." That was it. She doesn't wanna help? Fine. I got up quickly, his eyes no longer sparkling. "Fine. We don't need you, anyways." My tone, was, too, filled with anger, and I slammed my staff on the floor, and stalked off the room before shooting into the sky.

What happened to me just now? I growled in frustration as I messed up my hair while I glided to North's workshop. It's just a refusal, she must be really stressed or something happened to her family or something urgent. She's a champ in sports, so most probably... Oh, shut it, Jack Frost. I paused in midair, and floated to a nearby roof to think. Should I go back and apologize and convince her again? Or let luck settle and she realizes her error and joins back?

I pressed a hand on my cheek as listened to the painful pounding of my head. "Argh, this is hopeless..." Might as well wait for the best... I looked at the dawning horizon, and continued my journey towards North's workshop, working out something to say to that guy.

"WHAT? She refuses because she liked to be asked first?" Bunnymund exclaimed, dropping his boomerang. I nodded. Tooth's emotions downed, and looked away. Sandy just floated there, shocked. North paced around his workshop, muttering with anxiety. "We don't have a choice, she is just like you when we told you you were gonna be a Guardian, but more..." North tilted his head to and fro. "You know what I mean."

I nodded in surprised agreement.

"Well, I guess this is major... we'll have to go without her."

* * *

Veronica's POV

To truthfully, purely admit, I feel a little guilty rejecting him.

I imagined Jamie crying for no reason while I showered. I can be logical if there's no reason to cry, but if he does, there's nothing to calm him down, is there? I asked myself doubtfully, and plopped on my bed, enjoying the rare moment of no disturbance of any events or sessions or practices. Yet my mind was refusing to calm down, and my thoughts lingered to Jack.

That Frostie's cool enough, yeah right, but his annoying attitude so insane he can actually consider stalking girls as a hobby and drag me from my normal life to a guaranteed chaotic, un-normal life. Well, okay, not so normal life. I'm still a zombie, right? I sighed, and turned on my iPod, I won't give up on us by Jason Mraz blared into the room.

My eyes lingered around the room, until it landed on my storage room, and I went in to get my guitar as the lyrics started. I used to have guitar lessons, they sooth my spirits and help my feelings a bunch. It was the very first lesson I received, since I learned it a month after I was in this world and only tame side of me, excluding the babysitting career. Now I kinda quitted because of all the combat activities, but I still play this thing. I ran through the familiar white oak, and started to play along with the song quietly.

Midway through the song, my soul was so engrossed on the tune I almost flew out of my skin when my cell phone's ringtone shot out into the room. When I managed to gather my instincts back I gently placed my guitar on the bed, I scampered to the bedside table to get my vibrating phone.

"Hey, Coach Reveley!" I greeted my fencing teacher causally, leaning on the french window. The man seemed really happy today, and I know something was up. "Hey, Veronica! Guess what? The Italian Coach Genevieve was really impressed with your fencing, and gave you a really early Christmas present, a ticket to a place with water... lots of lots of water..."

"The Pacific Ocean?" I joked.

"Nope. Guess again."

"The Aquarium?"

"Nope. Give you a hint; there's plenty of boats there."

Shock rose. "Y-you mean gondolas?"

"Yep, pack up Veronica, you are in your way to Venice! Fear not, I've asked your parents, and you'll be boarding in about... T minus two hours!"

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**WAS IT GOOD? HUH? HUH? TELL ME BY PLACING A COMMENT! THANKS! :3**

**And a happy new year!**


	10. Welcome to veniza

Jack's POV

I danced along the winter breezes, my light touch filled with chilled air, my heart soaring with free joy. Occasionally a few gulls flapping across me, signaling land was close. I could see the sea of gondolas floating at the bay, dazzling the bay in different splashes of traditional green, red, yellow and some blue. Even with the evening scrolling to its end, projecting a romantic shade of midsummer orange on the sea, the bay was still as busy as ever, though I could see some workers getting to the end of their day, rowing away back to their homes with crates.

Along the watery path lining the floating houses was filled with more gondolas, carried with couples, smiling sweetly at wach other, enjoying every moment of their time together. I smiled at a flirting girl with heavy make up and a decent looking boy on the over balanced gondola, and chuckled as I tipped the gondola with my staff, freezing it and watched as the screaming couple topple into the freezing cold water.

"Uh no, Frostbite. We're not here to prank."

I turned to see Bunnymund tapping his floor, his furry arms crossed across his white chest, a familiar sprout of daisy poking out from the cement beneath the Easter Bunny. I smirked. "Well, I can't spare a time not to prank. That won't prove my center." Suddenly I thought of Veronica, and my feeling felt like it was being pulled down. I wonder where she is now...

"Thinking about that Sheila?" Bunnymund guessed his obvious face. I couldn't help but let the cheeks boil, but I hid it by purposely patting it. The bunny chuckled. "Let her go, that little ankle-biter ain't gonna do any help for us with her whining." I masked my reddening face and nodded. "Yeah, we'll wait for the others." Sandy appeared in a gondola of golden dreams floating peacefully on the icy water, and waved a flat top hat at us, smiling cheerfully.

"That leaves North and Tooth." Bunnymund stated.

"Fear not, my little darlings. I have the two peeps right here."

The voice was raspy, yet mesmerizing, like a old woman and a opera singer blending into a single voice. I turned around, facing a women with a face as angular as Pitch's, her unusually long eyelashes batting rapidly at me, letting me a glimpse at the green, yet sickly shaded eyes, glowing faintly under the dim evening. Black lips and gracefully pointed ears, like a elve's, met my sight. Around her was a sickly shade of grey, as if it was attempting to pull me to her enticing grasp. One look at her made my mood drop. She wore a black dress, yet the ruffles were torn, revealing her bony knees being strapped with the claw-like hand's grasp was a pair of daggers, glinting dangerously under the moonlight.

I felt like looking at a elven queen dressed for a funeral.

"Why, hello darlings. Pitch told me so, so much about you, my dear Jack. My name, is Sorrow."

Behind her, tied up and bounded into a insanely tight space, was a muffled Tooth and a paralyzed North, under the merciless care of two nightmares.

* * *

Four hours ago

Veronica's POV

I tucked myself into the plane as I held my hands to my bag, filled with my stuff as my eyes lingered at the window that let me a peek of the heavenly sky outside, illuminating the world with endless light. Yet my heart, drowned in panic, driving my mind into a endless nothingness. I could hear my heart thumping wildly, my ear ignoring every word the flight attendance demonstrated the safety rules.

What should I do now? Would they even go to Venice? The kids might be in danger-all because of my refusal. Guilt isn't my usual emotions, yet it wasn't my favorite one either. Now it's visit made my mind sink into despair, my heart rising from panic, yet it was drizzled with long, deep syrup of guilt. Venice... Cupid... A thought struck me, like duster sweeping off the guilt.

Maybe I can meet them there. Yeah, can't I? I took a deep, relieved breath, and settled with the next question. What am I gonna say to them? I growled in frustration, and buried my head into the pillow, trying to soothe my head.

As the journey passed, I did mild warm ups, mediating, read _Underworld_ and made flowers grow on the seat in front of me, other stuff that could entertain me for the smallest bit. The plane was already in deep slumber, but my soul didn't give me a smallest hint of sleepiness. Ugh, c'mon, man. Sleep, sleep, sleep. For once, I wished Sandy was here. One tap and I'm snoring away. I pinched myself, and looked at the window, hoping to see something entertaining.

As god says, the dull, extremely boring flight finally came to an end, and my body felt like it haven't moved for weeks. That's partly why I preferred cruise rather than plane, though it was less safe. I can hear the painful cracks of my bones as I landed on ground in mid afternoon, and I stretched, but I regretted soon enough as I saw the Italy coach Genevieve, her copper hair flapping along the chilly breeze. She greeted me with a flashy smile and offered to take my luggage. "Ciao, Veronica Alexander! Grand name to own there!" She shook my hand. "I hope you had a smooth trip! Anyways," She threw her hands open.

"Benvenuti a Venezia!" I blinked, and smiled confusingly. Coach Genevieve laughed at my face, and translated "Welcome to Venice." I nodded, and gave a tired smile. "Thanks, coach." The coach gave another crazy grin. "Prego! Well, you look tired. Why not let's go back and take a rest, Non siete d'accordo? I rented a five star room, just for you."

"Thanks, Coach." I giggled, and Coach smiled. "Only for the best for the boss's student. Oh, and Buon Natale anticipato! Happy early Christmas!" She giggled, like a lively girl. I liked her immediately, and accepted her hug.

* * *

After a chatty journey around the streets of Venice, I listened silently as Coach Genevieve described all about her life here, and her fencing background, and her kid, who married to a Japanese woman who was a fencing freak. Finally, we pulled into a lavishly designed skyscraper with two gondolas and a guard on each, bowing politely as we entered the hotel, and a warm blast of air hit me the second I stepped in.

A brightly lit dome let the sunny sky visible from the inside, illuminating the persian rug beneath. There was a grand lobby at the center, a line of massage chairs and leather couches as they wait for their booking at the counter decorated with ancient engravings and plastic gems. There was even a refreshment center at the corner, selling various drinks ranging from hawaii cocktail to organic juices, from the huge menu bar on top of the bored waitress.

Coach Genevieve led me to the counter, checked in, and handed me my key. "Have fun, sweetheart. Venezia è il migliore. I'll meet you tomorrow. Dinner's gonna be at your table a few hours later. Addio, Veronica." She winked at me, and left my luggage to the waiting serving man to send it upstairs.

I missed my boxing gloves almost immediately.

My room was pretty good, there's a four poster bed with simple floral designs, a study table filled with the basic stuff I need to spend the week, a bathtub and a shower, plus a massage chair, a place to make drinks, a refrigerator, and much more stuff. I tossed a tip to the worker, and he bowed, leaving the room in a flash, closing the door with a creak.

I unwrapped my bow, which was actually brought in a different way here since the flight rules forbade sharp stuff, but my guitar stayed with me. I hugged my bow for a while, and plopped onto my bed, finally settling my messy soul into a simple order, my breath regaining its usual pace. Then I warmed up, practiced my skills, and stood back in a huff. Maybe I should go out and get some air. I looked out. The sun was already setting, pressing down a heavy shade of midsummer orange.

I placed my bow into a holder, and skipped out.

A yellow and green gondola pulled in, and a friendly looking guy in a thick woolen striped red shirt and jeans about his forties smiled at me as I stepped in, and I smiled back. "Where to?" He asked in a thick tone, and I thought for a while. "Just bring me around this place." The man rose a brown eyebrow. "Are you new here?"

I nodded, and he smiled, starting to row the gondola as the boat floated away from the now brightly illuminated hotel dazzling in gold, into the depths of the night, the pathway illuminated by dimly lit lanterns and the evening lights. I looked around, my heart feeling the deepest part of peace, and I closed my eyes, listening to the silent alley as the water rippled underneath the gondola. I opened my eyes, and stared hard at the water as I playfully let a lily blossom from the water.

Suddenly I heard a piercing roar breaking the silence- something that cut through my eardrums and I winced. "Did you hear that?" I asked the rower, and he shrugged. "I don't hear anything. Is there a problem?"

A thought hit me like a hammer dropping hard. If adults can't hear it...

"I would like to stop here, please." I said as polite as possible, defying the panic thumping of my heart as the gondola stopped slowly and I leaped out, tossing the man the money, before scanning the location of the voice and dashed towards it.

Roof. It's on the roof.

The voice came screaming once again, this time, I assume it was Bunnymund's. They're here, and they're in trouble. I went faster, feeling the panic rising, almost overwhelming me, but I shoved it off as hard as I can to the side as I arrived at the scene, yet not an eye was on me.

There was two more skeleton robots I saw previously with Jamie, and inside the ribcages, one was carrying Tooth, her purple eyes filled with fear and shock, a unconscious North, and behind the horses was a half dead Bunnymund and Sandy with really tall lady, and she was spiking a finger or a claw, I dunno, on Jack's chest.

First word: No.

My eyes widened, and I rolled forward, and caught the woman's hand with mine.

* * *

**I think I'm doing a terrible job in writing stories nowadays... ._. **

**But review please, so I can try my best to make it better! **


	11. Never let the four seasons see each othe

**THIS IS THE WORST CHAPTER I'VE MADE... I think- yeah, It is. ._.**

**WARNING, VIOLENCE AHEAD. KIDS, BUT YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES WHEN I SAID YOU'RE DONE SCROLLING.**

* * *

Jack's POV

I looked as Bunnymund and Sandy lied on her heels, half dead, defeated miserably. I looked up, biting my lip, as Sorrow's claw-like fingers lingered on my chest, preparing to stab my life any moment, until she suddenly paused. I closed my eyes sharply, waiting for it to sink to my doom, but it didn't. Relief and curiosity forced my eyes to open just in tim, and I saw, a hand grabbing Sorrow's, and her grip left me as the woman got tossed to the ground, revealing my lifesaver.

Veronica.

She leaped into midair, doing a somersault, and stood over me protectively, growling in a dangerous tone. "I've been wanting to test my skills for so long." I stepped back carefully as I heard Sorrow purr, as bitter as sand paper. "Oh, what a nice surprise, cousin." She added the tone, making Veronica's mood worse. Cousin? Veronica's relative is Sorrow? Shock filled me, but I was more surprised when Veronica didn't react greatly. "Not like I forgot you trying to poison when I was nine, cousin."

Now I am confused.

"Ah, so you are the spring spirit Pitch mentioned. So ever beautiful, with those golden hair and emerald green eyes. Fate always chooses you over me, isn't it?" Sorrow mused, glaring at her. She tore off the bow's holder, letting her bow glint under the faint moonlight. "I told you, it chooses how pure your heart is. Stop thinking like that. It just blinds you from the real reason."

"Yada, yada, yada, oh, there is always more than one path, my dear Veronica. And this one," She hissed. "Is more quicker."

Veronica immediately ducked to dodge Sorrow's first attack, and she lashed out her bow, trying to cut Sorrow's face, yet she leaped back, and Veronica hooked her ankle, driving her onto the roof. "Stop this nonsense, cousin." The spring spirit muttered, and Sorrow rose again, unleashing a kick that almost blew her off the roof, but she regained her balance. "Nonsense? This is what I dreamed. This is what I wanted. This is what I will do."

"To kill you."

Veronica roared, lashing a kick at Sorrow, and leaped over her, tossing to ebony body towards the ledge of the roof, and unleashed a fast combo of punches, ignoring the cries of pain, and toss Sorrow again, this time locking her arms on her neck and Veronica banged her head on hers, causing her to scream.

She dove a dagger to Veronica's chest, but the spirit barely dodged it, and unleashed her bow, printing a scar on the spirit of sorrow's face, causing her to growl. "Wake up, cousin. Pitch is merely using you! You're tricked by him! EVen if you guys win, you'll be nothing but a slave to him!" Veronica shouted, but Sorrow spat. "Bah! You do not know me! My only aim here is to kill you all, not to listen to you like what you call those teddy bears!"

Veronica locked her legs on Sorrow's throat and cracked it, causing her to scream in agony, and her finger darted everywhere, and I winced at every cracking tone of her body. Sorrow growled, unleashing a beam of energy, knocking Veronica off her grip, and Sorrow curved her lips, stepping on Veronica's stomach, her trembling daggers touching her throat. The fight continued for a long time, building a very thick tension.

"You know, cousin. I am certainly impressed with your skills. The other foolish creatures like that bunny was under my feet in a second. Weak people. Veronica gave a deep exhale. "You're the weak one!" She pounced up and tackled Sorrow, smashing her bow on her arm, almsot slicing it down. Then she hooked a boot on Sorrow's shoulder, smashing her to the ground, and cracked her spine. The tension was so thick I didn't dare to interfere.

Veronica's bow traced her spine, and slammed her elbow on Sorrow's head, stopping her from rising, and locked her feet with her hands. "Well, this is how weak Pitch made you into." She whispered, but suddenly her teeth barred, like she was injected by poison. Her eyebrows locked, and I frowned. "Enjoy my black sand in your veins, my dear." She crowed getting up from her weakened prison, and Veronica looked it she itched to scream. I felt the bloos drain out of me, but the spring spirit didn't quit just like that.

Veronica dove the blade into Sorrow's chest, but she already evaporated into wispy fire, the nightmares disappearing, releasing Tooth and North with a hard thud. I looked at the scene, frantic jabbering. Everyone needed help, but I ran to Veronica first.

She was choking, her blood drained out of her as I saw the black sand starting to creep onto her skin, starting from her feet like water. I remembered how Sandy died once, being shot by a arrow filled with black sand by Pitch. I can see the strain of her eyes, the strong, pure determination of refusal to quit battling the black sand. But there was no stopping the deadly sand. She would just evaporate into nothing but sand. Her hand gripped her bow in a deathly strength, like she would never want to part with it.

She looked down, refusing to back down for the magic to overwhelm her, and I watched in shock as the black sand started to slow down, and even _disappeared _a little. She actually banished the black sand. I looked back at Veronica in shock, as she balled her hands into fist, yelling in agony a little. Hope rose, and I shook Veronica violently. "You can do it, Veronica. Be the first to be free from the black sand's bounds." I urged in a strong voice, and She closed her eyes, her fist clenched for her life.

A graceful hand touched on my shoulder. It wasn't Tooth's feathery hand, yet it was chilling, like a burst of autumn wind, and I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't.

* * *

**OKAY, KIDS, OPEN YOUR EYES. (If you did peek through your fingers)**

**To those 13+, see what I mean?! (alright kids, just scroll down. Talking about violent stuff)**

* * *

I was no longer on a roof, in the middle of the watery streets of Venice. I was now lying in a four poster bed of a comfy looking bedroom, with pink walls and heart shape stickers plastered everywhere, and rose petals scattered on the fluffy carpet. There was even a chandelier dangling at the center of the bed, and a two cats kissing, one white and another black, their tails forming into a heart. It was a room for a couple.

I brushed off a rose petal on my sleeve, and leaped off the silky bed, heading for the white wooden french door. I exited the room with a quiet creak, and spared a glance around the room. It was, too, filled with white walls and pink roses, plus pink rose petals on the floor, and a white couch just for two and golden framings glinting under another chandelier, with pictures-moving pictures of couples kissing, or wedding photos. I spat a little with disgust, and looked around again, hoping to find Veronica, or North, someone I know or complaining about how did they get into a couple freak's house.

"I've never seen so determined friend of yours, and yeah! I was surprised that she even won the battle against the black sand. Very impressed. Not a gold can buy that."

I spun around, meeting a man in a tuxedo and a green tie, his green, small eyes with a oval with sharp edges as pupils beamed at me, his dry lips curving into a smile, and I spotted a roughly curved pair of ears poking from his ginger tufts of hair, one of his hands was playing with casino tokens, one hand offering me a drink with purple liquid. He looked at me. "Wine?"

I shook the offer off. "Where am I? Can I see my friend?"

The man rose a eyebrow, and took a sip of his offer. "She's right at the healing room. Just head right along that hall, and good luck." He pointed a fat finger at a big heart shaped hole that led to some rooms closed by white doors, and the man led me to a glass door, and clicked his tongue, before leaving, still toying with his tokens. "Good luck, Jack Frost."

I tilted my head, confused at how did he know my name, but took a deep breath instead and barged in, meeting Veronica huddled in a tight ball on the bed, as if she was resting. I smiled, and went to sit beside her. "Hey, you okay?" Veronica looked up, though her eyes was lingering at thin air. "Where are we?" She asked quietly, confused, and I took my first guess. "Probably Cupid's house. No one plasters so many heart shapes on the walls."

"Oh."

There was silence, then I remembered how she called Sorrow cousin. "So... unexpected family reunion, eh?" I tried to smile, but she just buried herself into her lap. "I never knew I would meet her like that... She was always comparing me to her. She was crazy. She tried to poison me when I was nine... with a rose..."

"She told you to eat it?"

"No, duh. Smell it."

"She tries to stink you to death?"

"Seriously?" Veronica looked up, glaring at me. "There is something called putting poison stuff in flowers."

"Alright, alright, you get me." I held my hands up. "So how did you cheat death?" Veronica groaned. "I hated roses that time." I widened my eyes, and gave her a _you're kidding me _face. "Seriously? A girl? Hates flowers? How did you get to be a spring spirit?"

"Well, I like it on ground growing peacefully, not on hand! If you know what I mean, you would understand! I tried to plant it back, but it just annoys a the whole patch of soil. The thing is poisoned." SHe threw her hands up. I chuckled at the story, but was broken by the man striding into the room.

"Well, I can see two love birds flirting. Cupid would love this. Anyways, call me Pat." He whirled around the room, tossing casino tokens around him. Veronica pursed her lips. "Are you Patrick, the Ireland holiday guy thing?" The man brightened, and opened his arms. "Well, I practically hate that name, so I decided to call myself Pat!"

"Because Spongebob's friend stole that name?" Veronica pointed out.

"HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH You can say that." Patrick laughed off his head, but his hand was plastered on the glass of wine and the casino tokens. "Anyways, man, my friend Azura, saw you guys after she spotted Sorrow escaping. Cupid sent you to his headquarters." A slender figure dressed in a auburn colored dress, like waves of withered leaves washing, and black eye shadow drooping on her brown eyes, her bronze hair tied into a bun, her emotionless face looking at me. "Where's Cupid and North and the others?" Veronica asked, and Pat tapped his wrist with a finger. "They're still in sleep, no worries, and Cupid went for a wedding dinner."

"It is most surprising that you would escape Sorrow's grasp, and even succeed to fight her." Azura's voice was almost robotic, but cool, yet it sounded merciless too. At least she was better than Sorrow. "She's the autumn spirit, and she lived about 500 years, to her story." Pat chuckled, and finally kept his casino tokens. Then the man whistled, and a boy in auburn hair washing on his head like a molten wave and yellow eyes glowing, his flashy black jacket with RODNEY SUMMER CAMP 2011 jogged in. "Hey, Pat! So what's with this couple?"

"Hey!" I looked defensively at the boy, and he shrugged, attempting to stick his tongue out but pat held a hand to call peace. "Well, such a rare occasion for all four seasons to unite here, isn't it? Mark, meet Jack Frost and Everlyn, spirit of winter and spring." Pat looked overjoyed, and we looked at each other, mind blank of conversation materials. "Why are you guys doing here in Cupid's home?" I finally broke the awkward silence, and the Mark, implied by Pat as a summer spirit, crossed his arms. "Well, you're not the only one who gathers in a place, dumbo."

"So... any more characters?" I asked more, ignoring his insult with a little willpower to not to freeze him. "Mother Katherine isn't here, and so is Halo."

"Halo?" Me and Veronica asked in unison. "You mean, the Halo book series?" Veronica frowned, and Azura shook her head. "The Spirit of Halloween, likes to be called that."

"Is she obsessed with Halo-" I thought of the advertisements I see on the boards back in New York with a man in a robot suit and a yellow mask.

"HE, is NOT, obsessed with that... whatever." The summer spirit shook his head.

But Veronica found a way to squeeze out of the awkward situation. "We came here to look for Cupid, he has the-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you batch are coming for our stuff, and you didn't even say please-" Mark huffed, crossing his arms. "It's for the sake of all of us!" Veronica snapped, and Mark growled. "Well, can't you find somewhere else?" Azura's eyes gleamed, like she knew something would bubble between us. Pat pursed his lips, and clapped his hands, cutting off the argument. "Well, Everlyn, I guess you two are the only ones from the batch to wake up, so you two will be the only ones going! Now, shoo! Scatter!"

* * *

**This was kinda inspired by the rivalry between Greek and Rome, but the Cupid batch are 'neutral' between the activities of Team North and Team Pitch(wait, it's Pitch only. *forever alone*)**


End file.
